The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Surfin’ Bird had to endure a tough run from a wide barrier draw but she gamely held off a series of challenges to score a career-best win. Star jockey Tim Clark revealed post-race that he “wasn’t overly concerned by the draw.” “It’s a good… Read More »
Trainer Matt Dale earned some travelling expenses for his winter holiday after Bravissima scored a strong win in the 50 Year and Life Member Handicap (1600m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday. “The Goulburn winters can be tough so we are leaving for a week in Port Douglas tomorrow,” Dale said…. Read More »
Lightly raced sprinter Ice Kool still has a lot to learn, but experienced jockey Jay Ford has backed him to make his mark in much higher grade than winter benchmark company. The David Pfieffer-trained gelding took his record to three wins from four starts with an emphatic victory in Saturday’s… Read More »
Voynichese made the quantum leap from an Albury maiden win to a stakes success in the Listed $160,000 The Show A Heart (1500m) look routine, stamping herself as a two-year-old filly with above average ability. “We’ve had a big opinion of this filly for a while now,” Olive said. “She’s… Read More »
A daring mid-race move by Chad Schofield has paid dividends with emerging three-year-old Decalogue outstaying his rivals to land his second win in succession at Randwick. The gelding found himself worse than midfield early after a moderate jump, and when the speed slackened, Schofield whipped around the outside and took… Read More »
Trainer Bjorn Baker singled out jockey Rachel King for particular praise after she partnered improving mare Monte Supreme to a crucial stakes win at Eagle Farm on Saturday. “Rachel rode a brilliant race on Monte Supreme,” Baker enthused. “There are not many riding better than her, I’m certain of that,… Read More »
In horse ownership it is always good to get a quick return on investment. Trainer Danny O’Brien got that on Saturday when debutant Aethera took out the TAB We’re On (1100m) at Flemington. O’Brien bred the now two-year-old daughter of Shamus Award and races the filly with wife Nina and… Read More »
An outside barrier was Michael Hawkes’ one reservation ahead of Why So Hard’s Randwick debut, but the two-year-old has been good enough to overcome it, powering home for a convincing win that has the stable optimistic for his future. A son of Hawkes Racing’s former top galloper All Too Hard,… Read More »
The Joseph O’Brien trained Thundering On gave her field a galloping lesson in the Group 1 Epsom Oaks which was contested over 2400m. The win could not have been more emphatic with Dylan Brown-McMonagle guiding Thundering On to a clearcut, four length victory ahead of Legacy Link with the magnitude… Read More »
Jockey Kristy Bennett remains in a critical but stable condition in the intensive care unit at Gold Coast University Hospital following a serious fall at the Gold Coast trials earlier this week. An update issued by the Queensland Jockeys’ Association confirmed Bennett is expected to remain in ICU for at… Read More »
Patrick Kearney’s love for the Swan Hill Carnival reached new levels on Friday when Cripps provided the young Ballarat trainer with his first success in one of the popular weekend’s major events. The four-year-old son of Magnus, who is named after dual Brownlow medallist Patrick Cripps, landed the biggest payday… Read More »
Trainer Grahame Begg is looking to use a former multiple Stakes winner as a yardstick for promising filly Biologics. The Listed Creswick Sprint Series Final (1200m) at Flemington on July 4 is potentially on Biologics’ agenda, but first there is the VRC Community Race Day Sprint (1200m) at Flemington on Saturday. Biologics created… Read More »
Matt Cumani’s chances of winning Saturday’s Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour Trophy at Flemington were not only enhanced by Ciaron Maher’s decision to keep Decalogue in Sydney, it doubled his representation in the race. Cumani now has the favourite, Brave Danza, for the $150,000 event over 2000 metres, along with Think… Read More »
The Ciaron Maher stable has placed a lot of faith in Tasmanian apprentice Jabez Johnstone who has recently joined the stable on a three-month loan. Johnstone has ridden four winners since Sunday, including a double for Maher at Sandown on Wednesday, and has a strong book of eight rides at Flemington on Saturday,… Read More »
Group 1 winner Vibrant Sun and Perth stakes winner Toropa headlined a record-breaking Magic Millions Digital Sale, helping drive turnover beyond $1.65 million. Strong domestic and international demand saw the sale return a clearance rate of 74 per cent and an average price of $21,742, with the unreserved dispersals from… Read More »
Connections of Belmont Gold Cup winner have had their interest piqued for a Melbourne Cup tilt after Tawny Port outstayed his rivals under the New York sunshine to take out the Grade 2 staying feature and earning a golden ticket into Australia’s most famous race. Trained by Miguel Clement, Tawny… Read More »
The off-season winter races in Sydney invariably throw up a handful of emerging black-type performers, and Big Red Tequila is shaping as a mare worth tracking into the future. A daughter of Cox Plate winner Shamus Award, the four-year-old has been given a typically patient grounding by trainer Joe Pride,… Read More »
Past and present will collide when jockey Rachel King teams up with young trainer Jack Bruce to partner his first Group One runner, Highgrove Rose, in the Queensland Oaks. King is an integral part of the Bjorn Baker stable and rides predominantly for him in Sydney, while Bruce formerly worked… Read More »
The Phillip Stokes-trained Portarlington has the credentials to score at Morphettville Parks, but the significantly wet track is playing on the mind of connections. Portarlington is the $1.75 early favourite in betting on the Quayclean Handicap (1250m) on Saturday, something that has assistant-trainer Kerrin Stokes a little nervous. Of the… Read More »
A high percentage of feature races in Western Australia since the start of summer have produced riveting finishes … the most recent example being Western Empire’s last stride win in the Group 3 Hyperion Stakes at Belmont last Saturday … and that competitive trend seems likely to continue when ten… Read More »
