After a Group One win on quality colt Exceedance in the Coolmore Stud Stakes, jockey Dwayne Dunn has capped a successful Victoria Derby day with a victory on Tofane. Dunn steered the Mike Moroney-trained Tofane to a 1-1/4-length success in Saturday’s Group Three Furphy Sprint (1100m) for mares at Flemington,… Read More »
Sydney trainer Matthew Smith will give Fierce Impact every opportunity to land a third spring feature after the entire’s win in the Cantala Stakes at Flemington. Fierce Impact has now won Melbourne’s two Group One mile handicaps having taken the Toorak Handicap at Caulfield last month ahead of Saturday’s success…. Read More »
Star jockey James McDonald has executed a stand-out ride, piloting Godolphin stalwart Tally to a comeback victory in the inaugural Rosehill Gold Cup. The champion Sydney rider found cover aboard the $4 favourite and threaded a gap at the 400m before streaking away to win Saturday’s new $500,000 Rosehill Gold… Read More »
Sydney trainer Mark Newnham admits he has been left deflated after the Victoria Derby but will now give the beaten favourite Shadow Hero a spell before setting him for autumn features. Shadow Hero went into the Victoria Derby off convincing wins in the Group Three Gloaming Stakes and Group One… Read More »
Trainer Anthony Freedman and jockey Damien Oliver have turned back the clock to claim a Victoria Derby triumph at Flemington with Warning. For Freedman, it was his first Victoria Derby (2500m) win as a trainer in his own right. Oliver is celebrating his sixth, 27 years after his first aboard… Read More »
VICTORIA DERBY JOCKEYS’ COMMENTS Damien Oliver (Warning) 1st : “We were leaning to riding him quietly but he began so well I had to change plans pretty quick. I got there a bit soon but we’d gone so slow I didn’t want to get in his way. I just let… Read More »
Hawkesbury trainer Brad Widdup has eyes for the $1 million Hunter after a one-two finish on Golden Eagle day at Rosehill. Top-weight Sandbar ($7.50) edged out stablemate Junglized ($6) in the Chandon S Handicap (1100m) for Widdup, with James Cummings-trained Beau Ideal ($4) a nose behind. By champion sire Snitzel,… Read More »
Exceedance has chased down spring rival Bivouac to land the most important win of his brief career in the Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington. Favourite Bivouac had taken the lead in the Group One race for three-year-olds at Flemington on Saturday with the Hawkes Racing-trained Exceedance in hot pursuit. Although… Read More »
Within the space of a few days, racehorse owner John O’Neill’s life went from agony to ecstasy. The agony came with the controversial scratching of his Melbourne Cup hope Marmelo, runner-up in Australia’s most famous race last year. The ecstasy came from winning the $2 million Victoria Derby at Flemington on Saturday. The Anthony… Read More »
Trainer Kelly Schweida took special pleasure when his stable favourite The Odyssey returned to form with an easy win at Eagle Farm. The Odyssey ($7 into $4.60) bounded straight to the lead for apprentice Stephanie Thornton and went on to beat deadheaters Xanthus ($5) and Wapiti ($101) by four lengths… Read More »
New Zealand’s star mare Melody Belle has added a Group One win in Australia with a dominant performance in the Empire Rose Stakes at a rain-soaked Flemington. Already a winner of nine Group One races in New Zealand including six this year, Melody Belle was racing in Australia for the… Read More »
In the past, Rosehill winner Asterius would be heading to Melbourne for the greys race on the Oaks day program but trainer Chris Waller has a million reasons to keep him closer to home. Asterius ($3.80) prevailed over stablemate Mr Reckless ($14) to win Saturday’s benchmark 88 handicap over 1500m… Read More »
Miami Bound and Vegas Jewel look set for a rematch in the Group One VRC Oaks after fighting out the finish of the Wakeful Stakes at Flemington. The Danny O’Brien-trained Miami Bound ($8) edged out the Mark Kavanagh-trained Vegas Jewel ($3.70) by a neck in Saturday’s Group Two Wakeful (2000m)… Read More »
Coffs Habour trainer Warren Gavenlock has broken his city duck at Rosehill on Golden Eagle day with a horse lucky to be there. Sent out the $6 equal favourite, Plonka bounded away at the 200m to take out Saturday’s Highway Handicap (1200m) by 1-1/2 lengths over Gumshoe with Zardoro a… Read More »
Speedy Capital Connection will get his chance against some of Queensland’s best short-course horses after his runaway win at Eagle Farm. Capital Connection lived up to his $1.60 starting price with a 4-1/4 length win over Truculent ($41) in the Mt Alvernia College Plate (1000m). The gelding clocked 56.88 which… Read More »
Dalasan has picked up a $1 million bonus for his connections after winning the Carbine Club Stakes on a rain-sodden Flemington track. The bonus was available for three-year-olds that had run in either the Bill Stutt Stakes at The Valley or the Caulfield Guineas Prelude before contesting the Caulfield Guineas… Read More »
Damien Oliver has etched his name into the history books by breaking the record for most number of winners for a jockey during Melbourne Cup carnivals at Flemington. Oliver’s two wins during last year’s four-meeting Melbourne Cup carnival took him level with the mark of 72 winners set by fellow… Read More »
Promising two-year-old Rothfire has turned his much-anticipated clash with first starter Wisdom Of Water into a one-act affair and earned himself a crack at stakes class. Rothfire had won his first start but was sent out a $2.80 chance on the strength of heavy backing for Gold Coast colt Wisdom… Read More »
Young Adelaide jockey Jake Toeroek has celebrated one of his most significant wins, guiding Kemalpasa to victory in the opening race on Victoria Derby day at Flemington. Trained by Richard and Chantelle Jolly, Kemalpasa has been in a purple patch of form, his victory in Saturday’s Group Two TAB Stakes… Read More »
Apprentice Stephanie Thornton made the most of her last day with a 2kg claim to produce a clever ride to win on Magstock at Eagle Farm. The race was run at a slow pace and developed into a sprint home but Magstock ($6) finished the best to beat Sir Barnabus… Read More »
