The feature race day of the Sydney summer has often proven a successful target for Kris Lees, and he will again be well represented with runners in three of the four stakes races at Randwick. In the past decade, the Newcastle trainer has won The Ingham (1600m) twice with Loch… Read More »
Twenty-five years ago, a youthful John O’Shea celebrated his first Group win as a trainer in his own right when Grey And Gold triumphed in the Villiers Stakes. He went on to win it again three years later with On A High, before taking out its first incarnation as The… Read More »
Plans to run Melbourne Cup hero Knight’s Choice during next month’s Magic Millions Carnival have been abandoned, with the gelding instead to be given a gradual build-up toward late-season feature races in Queensland. The Sheila Laxon-trained stayer has raced only once since his famous Flemington triumph in the Melbourne Cup… Read More »
A Victorian racing participant has been handed a 30-month ban after Racing Victoria stewards found she misled investigators and failed to comply with formal directions during an inquiry into the presentation of a horse at Hamilton in May. Stewards issued three charges against Sharon De Grandi following interviews on May… Read More »
Dash out and dash home – the preparation complete and the gate to match. Prior to the barrier draw for the Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint (1200m), David Hayes was open minded to whichever gate Ka Ying Rising would draw in search of a 16th-straight victory and another jewel in… Read More »
Queensland apprentice jockey Amy Graham has been found not guilty on appeal in a case stemming from a leaked video showing her snorting white powder at her private residence. The Queensland Racing Appeals Panel (RAP) overturned her original charge under AR 228(a), which covers conduct considered prejudicial to the image… Read More »
Since the closure of racing in Singapore and relocating to Pakenham, trainer Dan Meagher has admitted the challenge has not been easy. Training against the likes of Laurie Laxon, Lee Freedman and Cliff Brown, Meagher more than held his own and when racing came to a halt in Singapore, he was at the top… Read More »
Biancelli shapes as one of the most appealing runners at Pakenham on Saturday, with co-trainer Michael Kent Jnr declaring the mare perfectly placed for Race 4 over 1000 metres after an encouraging first up run. Kent Jnr said the stable took plenty of encouragement from her most recent performance, especially… Read More »
Brad Widdup is banking on a combination of race experience and a low draw to help Internal Affairs get a win on the board in the Listed Inglis Nursery at Randwick. A $440,000 buy, the son of Home Affairs is the second highest-priced yearling in Saturday’s 1000m feature, behind $1.2 million purchase… Read More »
Warrnambool trainer Simon Ryan and the new connections of Post Impressionist will try and recoup some of their outlay in the Listed Pakenham Cup. First prize money of $180,000 will go a long way to offsetting the $225,000 purchase price of Post Impressionist if successful in Saturday’s 2500m feature. Post Impressionist was purchased on-line… Read More »
The Stefan Vahala trained Aztec Ruler will step up to tackle the $1.5 million Gold Rush for the second time at Ascot on Saturday. The locally trained Universal Ruler gelding finished seventh in the Gold Rush last year, coming home just 2.32 lengths behind the winner Western Empire when chasing… Read More »
Pakenham trainer Peter Gelagotis could have taken the easy option of staying home and racing in his own backyard instead of loading up the truck for a trip to Adelaide. Gelagotis heads to Gawler on Saturday with two runners – Typhoon Harmony in the Irongate Australia Handicap and Rubology in the Bronwen Darrell Memorial Handicap. Both races are over 1500m and Gelagotis is… Read More »
“He worked really good … very happy with him. He was strong to the line. Sometimes he is a little bit lazy up the hill, but today he charged all the way through the line.” That was the stable representative Jenny Wright’s assessment of Overpass’s track gallop earlier this week… Read More »
A wide draw in Sydney and the opportunity to chase a $300,000 payday in Brisbane have lured Kris Lees north with progressive four-year-old Tasoraay. The gelding is a dual state acceptor but after coming up with barrier 20 in the Saddles @ Mount White Handicap (1400m) at Randwick, Lees confirmed the… Read More »
Richard Litt has been buoyed by a forecast for rain in Sydney ahead of his two-pronged assault on the Razor Sharp Handicap at Randwick. Litt will saddle up Barber and Romeo’s Choice and has no qualms about a wet track for either, particularly Romeo’s Choice. “He absolutely loves the wet. The wetter… Read More »
Robbie Griffiths is already planning a return trip to Perth next year for another rich sprint race with Reg Magnerio. The Quokka, run over 1200m at Ascot in April, is in the back of Griffiths’ mind but first there is the Group 3 The Gold Rush (1400m) on Saturday. Griffiths said Rey Magnerio has thrived in the… Read More »
It has taken more than two-and-a-half years, but the stars have finally aligned for Tommy Berry to ride Territory Express, a horse part-owned by his mother, Julie. The talented but enigmatic gelding will line up for his 25th start in the $2 million The Ingham (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday and… Read More »
Coolmore stallion St Mark’s Basilica has posted his first Australian winner, with promising colt Aristopolos breaking through on debut at Launceston on Wednesday. The John Blacker-trained two-year-old finished strongly under jockey Erica Byrne Burke to score over 1100m, becoming just the third southern hemisphere runner for the champion son of… Read More »
Yulong has strengthened its ownership position in talented filly Within The Law, securing an additional 5 per cent share in the Group 1-placed three-year-old via this week’s Magic Millions Digital Sale. Highway Farm, a Yulong-associated entity, purchased the share for $70,000 on Wednesday — just a fortnight after paying $165,000… Read More »
Bjorn Baker is backing Paradoxium to follow the path blazed by Unencumbered and O’Ole after the colt posted a dominant victory in the Magic Millions Wyong 2YO Classic. Both the ill-fated Unencumbered (2013) and filly O’Ole (2024) won the lead-up race at Wyong before going on to claim the rich… Read More »
