When top syndicator Wylie Dalziel and Hall of Fame trainer Peter Moody were looking at Oak Lightning as a yearling in New Zealand, one member of the family stood out. The Little Avondale Stud-raised son of Per Incanto is a half-brother to Desert Lightning, the son of Pride Of Dubai… Read More »
Racing Victoria stewards abandoned Thursday’s meeting at Kyneton after jockeys expressed concerns about inconsistencies in the racing surface. The track had initially been rated in the soft range following 2.5mm of overnight rainfall, but conditions deteriorated after an additional 5mm fell, with riders reporting uneven firmness and sections where horses… Read More »
It would be unwanted attention for him, but, away from the action on the track, owner Fred Noffke has become something of a celebrity in his own right … following on, not only the exploits of his Doncaster winner Sheza Abili, but also the facts behind a success story that… Read More »
Paradise Storm has been withdrawn from the Sydney Cup after sustaining a tendon injury in a significant blow to his autumn campaign. Trainer Henry Dwyer confirmed the issue on Thursday, revealing the Auckland Cup winner will now undergo rehabilitation and face an extended period on the sidelines. “He’s just got… Read More »
The weight-for-age conditions of the Queen Of The Turf Stakes don’t favour Arctic Glamour in her rematch with Lazzura, but trainer Gerald Ryan has reason to believe that may not matter. Arctic Glamour had a 2.5kg pull in the handicaps when beaten a short neck by Lazzura in the Coolmore… Read More »
Chris Waller will saddle up more than a quarter of the Sydney Cup field, and his assistant trainer, Charlie Duckworth, says their squad has one thing in common. “With all of our runners in this, there isn’t much of a query over the distance,” Duckworth said. While seven of the… Read More »
Trainer Phillip Stokes is banking on the Adelaide Listed race option proving a better fit for his hardy galloper Arran Bay. The Listed City Of Adelaide Handicap (1529m) at Morphettville on Saturday was chosen in preference to the Listed Anniversary Vase (1600m) at Caulfield. Arran Bay was allocated 57.5kg at… Read More »
After a two run Sydney campaign that did not go to plan, Grahame Begg has returned Cilacap to Melbourne with a race in Adelaide in mind. Cilacap heads to Caulfield on Saturday for the Listed Anniversary Vase (1600m) after which she will head to Adelaide for the Group 2 Queen… Read More »
The Willie Mullins trained I Am Maximus heads to Saturday’s Randox Grand National seeking to become the first horse to lose and reclaim his Grand National title since Aintree legend Red Rum achieved that feat almost fifty years ago. Red Rum ultimately came away as a three-time winner of this… Read More »
Trainer Liam Birchley will be out to add another success to his two-year-old honour roll when he sends out Swift Dragon in the Capricornia Yearling Sale Classic QTIS 2YO Plate over 1200m at Rockhampton on Saturday. The son of Dracarys already has a big feature race win behind his name… Read More »
Trainer Dan Morton has given his WA Derby favourite Wonderfully Made a clean bill of health and a vote of confidence going into Saturday’s Group 2 assignment. The filly trounced her field in the WA Oaks over 2400m on April 1, winning by an impressive 4.18 length margin, but a… Read More »
What a comeback! Joao Moreira produced an electrifying four-timer on his return to Hong Kong racing at Happy Valley on Wednesday to ignite Caster Fownes’ title challenge and send him rocketing back to the top of the Trainers’ Championship where he now joins Mark Newnham on forty-seven winners. Moreira didn’t… Read More »
Trainer Matt Laurie had an important decision to make earlier this autumn – target Treasurethe Moment at the Doncaster Mile or keep his powder dry for an extra week and head to the Queen Of The Turf Stakes. After watching the way star filly Sheza Alibi toyed with her Doncaster… Read More »
Reachin’ Out is the least experienced of the nine runners in the $1 million Percy Sykes Stakes at Randwick, but she might just be the filly with the most upside. A daughter of emerging sire Stay Inside, Reachin’ Out created a big impression when scoring an emphatic four-length win on… Read More »
Trainer Grahame Begg is meticulous in his planning but sometimes even the best laid plans can come unstuck. Begg thought he was on a ‘winner’ when he booked apprentice Logan Bates for Dirty Look in the Up & Coming Stars Series Final at Caulfield on Saturday. Normally a $300,000 race would be… Read More »
A revelation in the staying ranks this autumn, Mr Monaco remains a solid favourite to give Ciaron Maher a fourth Sydney Cup despite drawing the outside gate. But if he is to be upstaged, it might be by one of his barn mates, with Piggyback and Juja Kibo both presenting… Read More »
Talented young trainer Dominic Sutton has come a long way in a short time, and he will be chasing another first in the Australian Oaks at Randwick when he bids for his maiden Sydney win on one of racing’s biggest days. Since saddling up his first runner in his own… Read More »
Trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr have gone about teaching Buggsy how to be a more relaxed racehorse ahead of his assignment at Caulfield. The son of Harry Angel registered an imposing 1000m victory at Sandown on debut last month and heads to the Listed Redoute’s Choice Stakes (1200m) on Saturday for start number two. With… Read More »
Melbourne Cup placegetter Middle Earth will kick off his campaign aimed at another shot at Australia’s great race at Caulfield. The Listed Anniversary Vase (1600m) on Saturday is the starting point for the former UK galloper who is in the care of Ciaron Maher. Middle Earth is then expected to travel to Brisbane… Read More »
Globetrotting gelding Dubai Honour will have to upstage two of Australia’s form mares to claim a second Queen Elizabeth Stakes title, and trainer William Haggas has delved into his bag of tricks to help him do it. Just as he did with Addeybb prior to the 2021 edition of the… Read More »
