Murwillumbah trainer Matt Dunn will saddle half the field in the rescheduled Northern Rivers heat of the Country Championships. The meeting has been transferred to Grafton on Thursday because of problems with the amount of rain at Coffs Harbour which forced the cancellation of racing on Tuesday. Because of the… Read More »
A capacity field of 16 has been declared for the Group One Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield. Of the 16 two-year-olds in Saturday’s Group One Blue Diamond Stakes over 1200m, nine are fillies. The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace stable holds the strongest hand with six runners – Ideas Man,… Read More »
Two of the top three market contenders for the Futurity Stakes at Caulfield have had their first look at the track ahead of the Group One race. New Zealand mare Melody Belle, with Paul Richards in the saddle, teamed with a member of the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace stable… Read More »
North Queensland jockey Mark Elliott has been disqualified for four years after his sixth positive random test to cannabis in a decade. Stewards opened an inquiry after a urine sample was taken from Elliott at a Townsville race meeting on January 25. Elliott pleaded guilty to providing a urine sample… Read More »
A better-than-expected win by Anaheed in the Rubiton Stakes has co-trainer Peter Snowden optimistic about the filly’s chances in the Group One Oakleigh Plate. Anaheed resumed from a spell with a 1-1/4-length win in quick time in the Group Two Rubiton Stakes (1100m) against older horses at Caulfield on February… Read More »
Jockey Luke Currie knows what it takes to win feature two-year-old races and he is confident unbeaten colt Hanseatic can give him a second-straight Blue Diamond Stakes. Currie has won two $2 million Magic Millions 2YO Classics at the Gold Coast on Sunlight (2018) and Away Game (2020) and took… Read More »
After making her mark as the first Sydney two-year-old winner of the season, Every Rose has not had things her own way since. The filly dominated the Gimcrack Stakes in October but has run two seconds and been unplaced in the Magic Millions Classic at her other three starts. After… Read More »
New Zealand star Melody Belle and Group One-winning Sydneysider Kolding will get a look around Caulfield in separate gallops ahead of their clash in the Futurity Stakes. The Jamie Richards-trained Melody Belle will chase her 11th Group One win in Saturday’s 1400m weight-for-age feature which will be her first start… Read More »
A half-yearly report indicates racing in Queensland is in a healthy place apart from worries about the performance of the Queensland TAB. Racing Queensland has unveiled its first half results for the 2019/20 financial year with solid progress being realised across the industry. RQ’s chairman Steve Wilson said highlights included… Read More »
New Zealand filly Probabeel has worked home well in a barrier trial at Randwick to show her readiness for a Group One rematch with Funstar. The Jamie Richards-trained Probabeel finished second to Funstar, trained by Chris Waller, in the Flight Stakes in October. The two are scheduled to meet in… Read More »
Victorian trainer Mark Sues has been charged with failing to provide proper and sufficient nutrition and appropriate veterinary treatment to four horses. Racing Victoria stewards issued nine charges relating to welfare against Sues on Monday, four in the alternative. Stewards allege that up to July 1 last year, Sues failed… Read More »
More than 1700 bales of hay are ready to be distributed to properties on the NSW South Coast from funds raised at the Australian Turf Club’s recent bushfire appeal race day. As well as the roll-out of hay to the Cobargo and Moruya districts on Tuesday, the ATC Foundation will… Read More »
Hong Kong champion Beauty Generation has bounced back to break his winning drought and set up a possible trip to Dubai. The John Moore-trained Beauty Generation won his third Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) at Sha Tin on Sunday after four losses. “The defeats have been disappointing but they hadn’t… Read More »
Trainer James Cummings is confident Bivouac is on song for his bid to become the latest three-year-old to win a feature open-class sprint this season. The Group One Golden Rose-winning colt pleased his trainer in a jump-out at Flemington on Friday in preparation for his return in Saturday’s Group One… Read More »
Julian Rock will become the first French horse to run in the NSW Country Championship final after winning the opening heat at Moruya. Trained by Jean Dubois, Julian Rock beat Al Mah Haha to win Sunday’s 1400m-qualifier under comeback jockey Jean Van Overmeire. The Tash Burleigh-trained Al Mah Haha also… Read More »
Orr Stakes winner Alabama Express will be nominated for the Group One Futurity Stakes but trainer Mike Moroney is still undecided which path the colt will take. Alabama Express upstaged the older horses to win the weight-for-age Group One Orr at Caulfield last Saturday week and Saturday’s Futurity Stakes is… Read More »
Connections of Blue Diamond Stakes second favourite Rulership face an anxious wait to see if the colt makes the final field for Victoria’s premier two-year-old race. A winner on debut at Randwick before finishing second to Hanseatic in the Blue Diamond Prelude for colts and geldings at Caulfield on February… Read More »
Alligator Blood may have taken out round one against classy New Zealander Catalyst, but trainer Clayton Chipperfield is confident the kiwi star can bounce back in their next clash. In an enthralling length-of-the-straight battle, Alligator Blood withstood the challenge from Catalyst to win Saturday’s Group Three C S Hayes Stakes… Read More »
Racing Queensland will program more Thursday twilight meetings next season after the initial test period was frustrated by rain and mishaps. RQ programmed five twilight meetings at Doomben with the Wednesday meetings being shared by northern clubs, Kilcoy and the Gold Coast. Two of the Doomben meetings were washed out… Read More »
A crucial track gallop at Warwick Farm will determine immediate plans for Fierce Impact as trainer Matt Smith weighs up Group One options in Sydney and Melbourne. The horse resumed with a slashing second to three-year-old Alabamba Express in the Group One C F Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on… Read More »
