Gwenda Johnstone has broken with her usual preparation in an attempt to get Precious Gem into winning form at Caulfield. Johnstone has given the daughter of Econsul an extra week between runs as she heads to the Anniversary Vase (1400m) on Saturday. Precious Gem generally races every two weeks but… Read More »
There have been better two-year-olds than Odyssey Moon this season, yet Rod Northam is certain he has the right horse to win the Champagne Stakes. Despite nearing the end of an arduous campaign of racing, the colt easily keeps his place as one of Northam’s best chances to train a… Read More »
Once again Fontelina will be an outsider in a Group One race, but once again his trainer expects him to perform against the odds. The six-year-old finished fourth as a $71 chance in the TJ Smith Stakes won by Chautauqua who will be among his opponents in Saturday’s All Aged… Read More »
Trainer Cindy Alderson is banking on a weight drop to help Duplicity Jones turn the tables on nemesis Jileks Spur in Australia’s longest flat race. Duplicity Jones has finished second to Jileks Spur in two heats of the MackTow Marathon Series run at Sandown and Mornington. On Saturday the pair… Read More »
A distance rise and added fitness are reasons Clinton McDonald believes Tahni Dancer is ready to challenge her more fancied rivals in the James H B Carr Stakes at Randwick. Tahni Dancer was strong to the line when fifth in the P J Bell Stakes (1200m) on a heavy track… Read More »
The least experienced of Joe Pride’s four Hall Mark Stakes runners is the most favoured to deliver the trainer a win in the Group Three race. Craftiness might not have the race smarts of stablemates Rain Affair, Target In Sight and Rock Sturdy but a tremendous winning strike rate has… Read More »
Troy Corstens is unsure whether Tried And Tired can make a winning return at Caulfield but he is certain the gelding will give it everything he’s got. Tried And Tried resumes in Saturday’s Bel Esprit Stakes, attempting to build on a record of seven wins from 17 starts highlighted by… Read More »
Leading Brisbane trainer Robert Heathcote is calling for a change to the rule which says he must use a claiming apprentice to replace junior rider Matt McGillivray who has been stood down over a positive drugs test. Heathcote booked McGillivray on Wednesday for three of his runners on Saturday –… Read More »
Warrnambool trainer Matthew Williams admits he has been caught out by the depth of opposition against Turnitaround at Caulfield. Turnitaround lines up in the $250,000 VOBIS Gold Mile (1600m) on Saturday as a $16 chance in early betting. “We’ve had the race in the back of our minds for a… Read More »
Kris Lees has delved into his bag of tricks in an attempt to help French import Slow Pace deliver on his early promise. The seven-year-old returns to the scene of what was arguably his best Australian run when he lines up in the JRA Plate (2000m) at Randwick on Saturday…. Read More »
Apprentice Geoff Goold will play a key role in the preparation of trainer Kevin Kemp’s Weetwood Handicap contenders. Kemp trained the quinella in last year’s Weetwood at Toowoomba when Typhoon Red beat Kempelly in a close finish. He has also won the Weetwood with Startell (twice) and Tellem. Kempelly and… Read More »
Les Ross hopes Voodoo Blue Magic can fly the stable flag in the absence of talented two-year-old Mishani Honcho. Ross is one of the few trainers hoping rain hits Brisbane earlier than predicted to help noted mudlark Voodoo Blue Magic in the Mount Franklin Handicap (1200m) at Doomben on Saturday…. Read More »
A colt raced by Black Caviar’s part-owner Neil Werrett has staked his claim for the 2000 Guineas with victory in the Craven Stakes at Newbury. Kool Kompany, who Werrett bought last year after he was passed in for $A1.3 million at the Doncaster Bloodstock Sale, was the least favoured of… Read More »
Tests have cleared Protectionist of serious injury but the stayer will have to be reassessed before starting a campaign aimed at winning back-to-back Melbourne Cups. Connections feared the horse’s career might have been over when he pulled up extremely sore after a disappointing performance in the Sydney Cup on Saturday…. Read More »
Clinton McDonald rates Danuki a promising colt, but the trainer admits his chances of winning the VOBIS Gold Ingot at Caulfield have been dented by the barrier draw. McDonald will wait until race morning to decide whether the two-year-old runs in Saturday’s $150,000 race after he came up with the… Read More »
ALL AGED STAKES HISTORY * Standard weight-for-age * Before 2004 run over 1600m * First run in 1866 when won by Falcon * Outstanding winners include: Tim Whiffler (1870-71), Carbine (1889-90), Wakeful (1902), Chatham (1934), Peter Pan (1935), Ajax (1938-39-40), Bernborough (1946), San Domenico (1952), Tulloch (1958), Lord (1959), Sky… Read More »
Joe Pride is the first to admit Terravista didn’t perform to expectation in the TJ Smith Stakes. Sent out favourite, Terravista wasn’t disgraced in finishing third, but he also wasn’t the horse that claimed the Darley Classic in the spring. A wide run from an outside draw and a three-week… Read More »
The nation’s key racing services have been merged to form Racing Australia. The group replaces The Australian Racing Board, Racing Information Services Australia and the Australian Stud Book, in hopes of cutting costs and giving the industry the convenience of dealing with a single organisation. Racing NSW chairman, John Messara,… Read More »
Kerrin McEvoy will mark his return to Europe as captain of the Rest of the World team at Royal Ascot’s Shergar Cup. The freelance rider has been announced for the premier jockeys’ challenge on August 8, alongside big names Frankie Dettori, Jamie Spencer and Emma-Jayne Wilson. As a retained jockey… Read More »
The emergence of Peeping as a stakes-class filly has come as no surprise to her trainer Ron Quinton. “One of the first things I said to (owner) Tom Kelly when I first got her going was that she’s a racehorse,” Quinton said. Since resuming with a victory in a midweek… Read More »
