One Melbourne Cup dream came alive and another fell flat as Ibicenco reversed his trainers’ fortunes to win Wednesday’s Group Three Geelong Cup. The win breathed new life into Ibicenco’s previously non-existent chances of gaining a Cup start, and his trainer Peter Moody did his best to talk up the… Read More »
A doubt over Atlantic Jewel’s appearance in the Cox Plate and some sage words of advice from jockey Craig Newitt led to Chris Waller’s backflip over starting Foreteller in the weight-for-age race. Waller caused a sensation at Cox Plate acceptance time on Tuesday when he declared Foreteller would be a… Read More »
Call it spring fever but the midweek victory from untapped four-year-old Terravista has prompted a bold declaration from his jockey and a physical reaction from his trainer. Having his first race ride on Terravista in Wednesday’s THINC Handicap (1000m) on the Kensington track, Hugh Bowman was an instant fan. “He… Read More »
What’s in a name? Plenty if you are Chris Waller trying to win the Bob Ingham Handicap. Waller is preparing for Group One assaults at Moonee Valley this weekend with Arinosa in the Manikato Stakes and Foreteller in the Cox Plate. But he is just as desperate to win a… Read More »
A mare who won the greys’ race at Flemington last spring is back in Melbourne chasing a much bigger prize at Moonee Valley on Friday night. And regardless of whether Arinosa wins or loses the $1 million Manikato Stakes, jockey Brenton Avdulla has been impressed by the emergence of the… Read More »
Gamblin’ Guru has scored an all-the-way win in the Listed Geelong Classic on Wednesday but trainer Leon Macdonald has no plans to press on to the Victoria Derby. “He’s not nominated,” Macdonald said. “I’d rather see him in the (ATC) Derby in the autumn.” The owners of Gamblin’ Guru have… Read More »
Jockey Damian Browne continued his sparkling form with a clever ride to land a betting plunge on Pretty Gully at Doomben on Wednesday. Browne, who will ride Queensland star Buffering in the Group One Manikato Stakes at Moonee Valley on Friday night, has been one of the form jockeys of… Read More »
Champion racemare Atlantic Jewel has run her last race and will be retired to Coolmore Stud in Ireland where she will be served by Europe’s most successful stallion, Galileo. The announcement follows her shock scratching on Tuesday from Saturday’s Cox Plate after she injured a tendon in training. Coolmore Australia… Read More »
A couple of days ago the major interest in the English galloper Side Glance was whether he would beat the ambulance home in Saturday’s Cox Plate. Then came the scratching of the hot favourite Atlantic Jewel and on Wednesday Side Glance had a vital appointment with his rider Craig Williams… Read More »
Gai Waterhouse likes Fiorente’s prospects in the Cox Plate but the Sydney trainer thinks the import is an even better chance of winning the Melbourne Cup. Fiorente is the third favourite for the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley on Saturday and Waterhouse will be disappointed if he doesn’t figure in… Read More »
Just six weeks into his new job, foreman Bryce Heys has celebrated a win for his boss Tim Martin with the filly All That I Am. The three-year-old was an outsider in Wednesday’s Australian Turf Club Handicap (1150m) at Kensington, but a strict training regime helped her score her first… Read More »
French import Tres Blue is back in the good books with trainer Gai Waterhouse. “When he arrived (on Saturday) he was very narky. He was like a fruit out of season and wasn’t at all happy but he’s really turned around and is eating enormously,” Waterhouse said. “That’s what I… Read More »
The injury that has cost Atlantic Jewel her chance in the Cox Plate means she has most likely run her last race. While trainer Mark Kavanagh hasn’t ruled out a return to racing in the autumn, Atlantic Jewel’s owners have a selection of the world’s best stallions waiting to serve… Read More »
The chance to ride in the Cox Plate has come sooner than expected for apprentice Chad Schofield who partners surprise starter Shamus Award at Moonee Valley on Saturday. The scratching of favourite Atlantic Jewel on Tuesday paved the way for the Danny O’Brien-trained three-year-old, named as emergency, to start in… Read More »
Glen Boss shook the hand of chief steward Terry Bailey after his unsuccessful appeal to have a careless riding ban reduced so he could ride Puissance de Lune in the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley on Saturday. But the champion jockey was not feeling so generous towards fellow hoop Nick… Read More »
Trainer Gary Portelli is keeping first-up expectations in check with Single Style while at the same time hoping she can join high-flying stablemate Rebel Dane in Melbourne. Single Style returns to racing at Rosehill on Saturday after a short break following an autumn and winter campaign. The four-year-old resumes over… Read More »
The Geelong Cup has been a guide to the chances of the European raiders in the Melbourne Cup in recent years but only one has taken up the challenge on Wednesday. Forgotten Voice, who missed a start in Saturday’s Caulfield Cup as the first emergency, is the dominant favourite for… Read More »
Michael Rodd will rely on two pick-up rides to achieve Group One success during the two-day Cox Plate carnival. Rodd’s Cox Plate chances were dealt a blow on Tuesday morning with the scratching from Saturday’s Cox Plate of short-priced favourite Atlantic Jewel with a career-threatening tendon injury. He picked up… Read More »
Ben Melham will ride Puissance De Lune in Saturday’s Cox Plate with Glen Boss failing in his appeal against suspension. Boss will also miss the prized ride on Rebel Dane in Friday night’s Group One Manikato Stakes at Moonee Valley with Dwayne Dunn picking up the mount. The leading jockey… Read More »
Caulfield Cup winning jockey Nick Hall will miss the Cox Plate after failing in his bid to have a careless riding suspension overturned. Hall was outed for a ride in one of the support races on Saturday’s Caulfield Cup card and his poor record counted against him when he appealed… Read More »
