Moves are underway to improve welfare standards for racehorses in Western Australia, including creating a “passport” for each animal to track them after retirement, and subjecting knackeries and abattoirs to random inspections. The state government announced on Thursday a new ‘rule of racing’ whereby the industry must aim to rehome… Read More »
The Hong Kong Jockey Club has cancelled the midweek race meeting at Happy Valley due to ongoing protests and political unrest. It is the second time in the past two months a Hong Kong race card has been called off because of the social turmoil gripping the country. The Jockey… Read More »
Talented Caloundra galloper Spectroscope will be on trial for a Sydney campaign if he performs well in the Mooloolaba Cup at the Sunshine Coast. Trainer Natalie McCall has pencilled in the Group Two Villiers Stakes at Randwick on December 14 as Spectroscope’s target with the Mooloolaba Cup over 1600m, the… Read More »
Enable has been named Europe’s Horse of the Year, becoming just the third horse to win the title twice. The John Gosden-trained five-year-old, who was first crowned champion in 2017, follows Ouija Board (2004, 2006) and Frankel (2011, 2012) as a dual winner of the prize following another exceptional campaign…. Read More »
The curtain has come down on Marmelo’s racing career, with the respected stayer retired to stand at stud in France after being denied a third shot at the Melbourne Cup. Marmelo, the 2018 Cup runner-up, was controversially withdrawn from this year’s $8 million Melbourne Cup after standing CT scans indicated… Read More »
Trainer Chris Anderson was quick to thank Victorian trainer Jason Warren after Star Silk scored a tough win at Doomben. Anderson and Robert Heathcote recently dissolved their training partnership but it hasn’t stopped either training winners. Star Silk ($5.50) scored his fourth win and second for Anderson when he held… Read More »
It has been 14 years since a filly has won the Group Two Sandown Guineas but trainer Tony McEvoy is optimistic Pretty Brazen has the talent to break that drought. Pretty Brazen is one of two fillies in Saturday’s Sandown Guineas over 1600m for three-year-olds, with the Dan O’Sullivan-trained Affair… Read More »
NSW Racing has opted to play it safe as bushfires continue to burn across the state, cancelling Thursday’s Port Macquarie race meeting. Several fires are still burning on the NSW mid north coast, including two on the outskirts of Port Macquarie. With road closures and “heavy smoke” in the area,… Read More »
Newcastle trainer Jason Deamer says Bon Amis has put an ill-timed virus behind him and is back to his best ahead of the $1 million Hunter. The six-year-old stable star has been carefully managed since his last-start third in the Group Three Show County at Randwick on August 24. Deamer… Read More »
Miss Siska is set to race for the third consecutive weekend while facing a distance test in the Group Two Zipping Classic at Sandown. The Grahame Begg-trained mare finished midfield in the Group One Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) at Flemington last Saturday week before backing up seven days later, finishing… Read More »
Premier trainer Tony Gollan believes he has found the right formula to help sprinter Capital Connection make a winning debut in open company. Capital Connection will be chasing his third win in a row when he joins a field of top short-course sprinters in the $105,000 Swiss Ace Plate (1000m)… Read More »
Racing Queensland is monitoring bushfires on the Sunshine Coast but at this stage there is no threat to Saturday’s meeting. The Sunshine Coast will host a meeting with more than 120 horses including the feature Swiss Ace Quality and Mooloolaba Cup. In 2017 fire threatened Corbould Park and several near… Read More »
Arc winner Waldgeist is to stand at Ballylinch Stud in Ireland alongside Lope De Vega who also carried the silks of Gestut Ammerland’s Dietrich von Boetticher. In his final race, Waldgeist famously denied Enable a third consecutive win in last month’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. He was trained throughout… Read More »
Trainer Dan O’Sullivan hopes Affair To Remember can end what has so far been a frustrating spring campaign with victory in the Group Two Sandown Guineas. O’Sullivan had hoped to target the VRC Oaks (2500m) with Affair To Remember but aborted those plans after the filly failed to make the… Read More »
Dual New Zealand Group One winner Madison County is to continue his career in North America with trainer Chad Brown. The China Horse Club-owned gelding has won four of his 14 starts and was New Zealand’s Champion Three-Year-Old on the back of Group One victories in the New Zealand 2000… Read More »
Multiple Group One winner Sunlight will enjoy some paddock time before trainer Tony McEvoy and connections map out a program for 2020. Sunlight won the Group Two Gilgai Stakes during her five-start spring campaign which culminated in a second to Kolding in the $7.5 million Golden Eagle at Rosehill when… Read More »
Imported stayer Southern France is a late nomination for the Group Two Zipping Classic at Sandown with connections keeping their options open. Southern France finished 19th in last Tuesday’s $8 million Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington in his first Australian start and first run for co-trainers Ciaron Maher and David… Read More »
Le Romain’s recent third in the Redzel Stakes is cause for quiet optimism the Kris Lees stable stalwart is back near his best. The triple Group One winner finished a length behind the winner Pierata with Trekking edging him out for second. That is encouraging for Lees as Le Romain… Read More »
After a lengthy build-up, dual Group One winner Hey Doc is ready for his return from injury at Sandown after being sidelined for more than a year. Hey Doc has not started since finishing unplaced in the Group Two Bobbie Lewis Quality at Flemington in September last year. He pulled… Read More »
Popular Gold Coast trainer Toby Edmonds is counting his blessings after appearing to have escaped serious injury when trampled by a runaway horse. A day after the trackwork accident, Edmonds remained in the Gold Coast University hospital on Tuesday awaiting further tests and scans after being knocked unconscious. He was… Read More »
