On any other occasion, Gary Portelli would be saddling up Rebel Dane for a Group Two race thinking he could win. On Saturday against Winx in the Warwick Stakes at Randwick, he will be happy to settle for second. “The fantasy is we do beat her. The reality is we… Read More »
New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame jockey and Melbourne Cup winner Robert James “Bob” Skelton has passed away aged 81 today. Skelton competed from the 1950s through the 1980s with his most notable wins coming in the Melbourne Cup, Auckland Cup and Wellington Cup’s. The NZ jockey who also rode… Read More »
Group One winner Le Romain is the punters’ pick to begin his four-year-old season on a high at Randwick but he may find some stiff opposition from a couple of hardened campaigners. Decision Time sprung an upset in the Group Three sprint a year ago as an eight-year-old and is… Read More »
Group One performer Teronado is one horse who has shown a liking for the new Eagle Farm track which trainer Bruce Hill believes will help him get back to winning form. Teronado will tackle the Chermside Warehouse Open (1600m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday after two placings on the surface…. Read More »
King of the Highway Jeremy Sylvester is looking to chalk up a second Sydney win this season. The Cessnock trainer is bringing High Tec to town for another shot at a Class Three Highway Plate race after the six-year-old finished sixth at Randwick earlier this month. Stablemate Snappy One won… Read More »
Promising colt Verstappen will be out to emulate his elder sibling when he makes his stakes debut at Moonee Valley. The Danny O’Brien-trained Verstappen raced to a convincing maiden win on the Pakenham synthetic track at his first start and is one of the main chances in Saturday’s Listed McKenzie… Read More »
Brenton Avdulla is the form rider of the Sydney jockeys’ room as the competition intensifies in the lead-up to spring. Avdulla has ridden seven winners and eight placegetters from 25 rides on Sydney tracks this season, only missing the top five three times. He finished fourth in the Sydney premiership… Read More »
Nine races have been set down for Singapore on Friday night, and while the depth doesn’t appear to be overly strong, the field sizes are decent which should ensure value to be had if the winner is found. Hopefully we have. BONUS #1: $501 FREE BET BONUS at Sportsbet.com.au… Read More »
Pilote D’Essai’s outside barrier doesn’t appear to be concerning punters with the classy import a well-supported favourite at Moonee Valley. After a convincing Australian debut win at Bendigo in March and an eye-catching first-up second at Flemington earlier this month, Pilote D’Essai has been supported from $2.40 to $2 for… Read More »
On any other occasion, Gary Portelli would be saddling up Rebel Dane for a Group Two race thinking he could win. On Saturday against Winx in the Warwick Stakes at Randwick, he will be happy to settle for second. “The fantasy is we do beat her. The reality is we… Read More »
Trainer Liam Birchley is bemused by suggestions the in-form Beckham will struggle at his first attempt at 1600 metres at Eagle Farm. Beckham has been among the most consistent open company horses in Brisbane recently with three wins, two seconds and a fourth from his six starts this campaign. His… Read More »
Michelle Payne says she is still uncertain whether she will make a return to competitive race riding. The Melbourne Cup winning-jockey told Sydney’s Sky Sports Radio she is working on her fitness after pancreatic surgery but has not put a time-frame on a possible return. Payne, who suffered abdominal injuries… Read More »
Michael Dee’s midweek suspension has forced several jockey changes for the Carlyon Stakes program at Moonee Valley. Dee was released from his rides at Saturday’s meeting to begin a careless riding ban after Sale on Thursday. Craig Newitt replaces Dee on O’Malley in the Listed Carlyon Stakes with Newitt’s original… Read More »
Aidan O’Brien’s domination of the British Flat season has continued with the master trainer saddling three of three of the first four home in the Yorkshire Oaks led by Seventh Heaven. Stablemate Found was the 2-1 favourite but it was Seventh Heaven who got the upper hand in the Group… Read More »
Champion mare Winx has claimed another accolade, being named the NSW Horse of the Year. Winx capped a big night at Thursday’s NSW Racehorse Owners awards for the Chris Waller stable with Winx also the champion miler, Press Statement the champion three-year-old, Preferment the champion middle distance performer and Libran… Read More »
Star apprentice Luke Tarrant will make his return to the saddle at the Golden Coast on Saturday after serving a ban for drug use. Tarrant has had a troubled twelve months with a drug positive that saw him suspended for six months as well as a string of stealing offences…. Read More »
A couple of days out from the return of Winx, her stablemate McCreery has sported the same colours to win the Listed Rowley Mile at Hawkesbury. McCreery ($2.15 fav) led in a Chris Waller-trained trifecta on Thursday, beating Marenostro and Junoob. An English import formerly trained by roger Charlton, McCreery… Read More »
Tas Morton doesn’t like to dwell on his Vietnam experience, but every now and then he and his army mates get together to remember those who didn’t come home. Such was the case on Thursday when the Port Macquarie trainer attended a commemoration on the 50th anniversary of the Battle… Read More »
Group-winning sprinter Heatherly is favourite for the Carlyon Stakes at Moonee Valley but her trainers have warned a heavy track could force a change of plans. Heatherly is at $3.20 for the Listed 1000m sprint and impressed in a jump-out at Flemington last week when she won by several lengths…. Read More »
A Sydney stablehand has been disqualified for nine months for substituting a urine sample with that of someone else following a ban for a prohibited substance. Natalie Bentley was tested at Rosehill on June 10 and disqualified from riding trackwork for three months when the banned substance was detected. She… Read More »
