The “For Sale” might be up on his stable but Clarry Conners certainly has no intentions to retire. Victory Lodge will go up for auction on Wednesday week with Conners no longer having the numbers to fill all the boxes at the Warwick Farm complex. The trainer, who has lived… Read More »
It took trainers Mick Cerchi and his son Luke a number of starts to work out stable recruit Midterm before they struck gold in the Kyneton Cup. At Sandown on Saturday the pair is hoping to add the Group Two Zipping Classic (2400m) to Midterm’s resume. Formerly known as the… Read More »
Three-year-old Conqueror could follow in the footsteps of stablemate Long Leaf and target the Karaka Million 3YO Classic in New Zealand after he contests the Sandown Guineas. Long Leaf won the million-dollar race over 1600m at Ellerslie in January, two starts after a Sandown Guineas placing and Lindsay Park co-trainer… Read More »
As the adage goes, ‘you’ve got to be in it to win it’ and that will be trainer Bjorn Baker’s weekend philosophy as he prepares a seven-strong team for the stand-alone meeting at Newcastle. Baker’s squad includes a trio of runners in the first edition of the $1 million The… Read More »
Trainer Barry Baldwin believes fan favourite The Candy Man’s performance in a recent Sydney campaign is far better than it appears on paper. Baldwin is confident The Candy Man can return to his best form in the $105,000 Mooloolaba Cup (1600m) at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday. The Candy Man,… Read More »
Hugh Bowman rode Le Romain in his first start and his first win and he clearly remembers the horse being a stand-out. It was August, 2015, three months after Bowman had partnered Winx to her first Group One win in the Queensland Oaks. “I actually trialled him before his first… Read More »
South Australian-based Barend Vorster’s trips across the border to Victoria have so far been successful. The former Singapore-based South African made Adelaide home earlier in the year and immediately made an impact in Melbourne winning the Newmarket Handicap on Sunlight. Last week he partnered Sisstar, the younger sister of Sunlight,… Read More »
In-form trainer Kelly Schweida rarely shows much emotion but he admits he is genuinely excited about Meet Mr Taylor taking on a class field at the Sunshine Coast. Meet Mr Taylor has drawn barrier one in Saturday’s $105,000 Swiss Ace Plate (1000m) in which he faces a competitive line-up of… Read More »
Spring Stakes contender Donandkim might not be the best horse in Gerald Ryan’s stable but he surely gets a gong for being the most cleverly named. The three-year-old takes his moniker from US President Donald Trump and North Korea’s Kim Jong-un, who provided timely inspiration for his owners with their… Read More »
A syndicate which owns Cheltenham Gold Cup favourite Kemboy has been barred from registering horses in Ireland. Horse Racing Ireland has announced all registrations of horses under the ownership of Supreme Horse Racing Club have been voided following a persistent failure to provide requested information. HRI said it had “consistently… Read More »
Lighter on starters than recent springs in Victoria, Godolphin’s English trainer Charlie Appleby gets the chance to claim his first win of this year’s carnival at Sandown. Appleby has had nine winners spanning the previous three spring carnivals in Victoria, highlighted by Cross Counter’s Melbourne Cup triumph 12 months ago…. Read More »
Imported stayer Ventura Storm has raced consistently without winning this preparation and has also displayed a quirk late in his races which has his connections puzzled. The gelding, who runs in Saturday’s Group Two Zipping Classic (2400m), has a habit of lifting his head late and has done it to… Read More »
Unless there is an exceptionally high attrition rate from the $1 million The Hunter, regally bred mare Miss Fabulass will bypass the feature Newcastle meeting and head to Brisbane. First emergency Goodfella has been elevated into Saturday’s field with the scratching of Godolphin’s Home Of The Brave who has instead… Read More »
Racing NSW has alleged the ABC committed “serious and numerous” breaches of its editorial policies and code of practice in its story on cruelty to retired racehorses. In a 21-page formal complaint to the ABC, Racing NSW chairman Russell Balding claimed the two-year investigation – which showed confronting footage of… Read More »
He won’t be able to dodge an early morning start but Kris Lees can look forward to a more sedate weekend as his hometown of Newcastle prepares to host the inaugural $1 million The Hunter. For the first time in a long time, Newcastle will be the stand-alone centrepiece meeting… Read More »
Grahame Begg admits the Summoned Stakes field is stronger than he anticipated but the trainer remains hopeful Vanuatu will deliver on a long-range plan in the Group Three race at Sandown. Saturday’s Summoned Stakes (1500m) for mares will be Vanuatu’s third campaign start with the four-year-old winning first-up at Cranbourne… Read More »
After the VRC Oaks threw his name up in lights, John Ramsey’s quest to prove himself among the training elite continues with Bright Rubick in the Spring Stakes at Newcastle. The 34-year-old gambled on $41 outsider Never Listen last week and came up trumps when she ran second to Miami… Read More »
Trainer Stuart Kendrick hopes to cement his association with the famous Swettenham Stud when Trust In Aloha makes her debut at the Sunshine Coast, her home track. Trust In Aloha is by Swettenham’s first season sire Trust In A Gust and will be only the second horse to carry the… Read More »
After a successful Melbourne Cup carnival, the show is rolling on for trainer Danny O’Brien who is looking for feature race success at Sandown. O’Brien won four stakes races during the four-meeting Melbourne Cup carnival at Flemington highlighted by his first Melbourne Cup with Vow And Declare and first VRC… Read More »
Taking the more conservative path to the races with Panna Cotta may prove a wise decision if the Mark Newnham-trained filly makes a winning debut in the Max Lees Classic at Newcastle. Newnham toyed with running the daughter of Fastnet Rock in last weekend’s $1 million Golden Gift before deciding… Read More »
