A year after winning the VRC Oaks at Flemington, four-year-old Aristia is set for another of the Group One features during the Melbourne Cup carnival. Trained at the course by Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra, Aristia runs in Saturday’s Group One Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) when she will be striving… Read More »
Trainer Ken Keys may not have had too many opportunities at the highest level but saddles two chances in a bid for an elusive Group One victory. Keys has been training for more than 30 years and from 40 starters in Group One races the closest he has come was… Read More »
Toorak Handicap runner-up Night’s Watch features among a strong contingent for Chris Waller in the Cantala Stakes as the trainer bids to win the Group One handicap for a fourth time. Waller’s representation in Saturday’s 1600m race at Flemington also includes Epsom Handicap placegetter Star Of The Seas and eight-year-old… Read More »
Trainer Matt Dunn’s perseverance with improving Ashman reaped more dividends when the gelding made it four wins in a row at Ipswich. Ashman ($1.55) continued Dunn’s 70 per cent strike rate this season at Ipswich with the trainer’s eighth winner in the River 94.4 Handicap (1350m). “Not many horses win… Read More »
Racing Victoria stewards have issued four charges against suspended trainer Jarrod McLean over information received following a police search of his property. McLean has been charged with the administration of a prohibited substance, corruption, dishonesty and misleading behaviour and conduct prejudicial to the image, interests, integrity or welfare of racing…. Read More »
A trio of northern hemisphere raiders is planning to swoop in and spoil the party for the locals in the inaugural $7.5 million Golden Eagle at Rosehill. In the tranquil surrounds of Canterbury quarantine centre, Never No More, I Am Superman and Beat Le Bon are quietly going about their… Read More »
A series of twilight meetings at Doomben will determine several issues involving the introduction of night racing at the track. Racing Queensland and the Brisbane Racing Club have had preliminary discussions about installing lights at Doomben with the view to staging twilight-night meetings. It is part of an overall strategy… Read More »
Eagle Farm trainer David Murphy has taken a hands-on approach to monitoring the progress of his latest stable addition in veteran Mighty Lucky. Mighty Lucky is a 10-year-old but Murphy has high hopes he will measure up to some of the stakes races during the Brisbane summer carnival. The gelding… Read More »
Academy Award winning-actor Jeremy Irons will play legendary English trainer Sir Henry Cecil in a film about unbeaten champion Frankel. Irons will also produce the film in collaboration with Andrew Berg and John Sachs of Eclipse Films. Ron Scalpello will direct from a screenplay by Jim Piddock which charts Frankel’s… Read More »
Godolphin trainer James Cummings admits he is “terrified” of Melody Belle as he prepares two mares to clash with the star New Zealander in the Group One Empire Rose Stakes. The Jamie Richards-trained Melody Belle is New Zealand’s reigning Horse of the Year and has won three Group One races… Read More »
After watching Bivouac work at Flemington, Godolphin trainer James Cummings says the star colt is likely to be given his chance in the Coolmore Stud Stakes. The final field will be declared for Saturday’s Group One 1200m Coolmore Stud Stakes for three-year-olds on Wednesday. Bivouac was expected to win last… Read More »
Champion trainer Chris Waller is expected to rely on Accession in the Group One Coolmore Stud Stakes with Everest winner Yes Yes Yes likely to head for a spell or contest the weight-for-age Darley Sprint Classic. Fellow trainer Peter Snowden says he is leaning towards keeping impressive last-start winner California… Read More »
As Michael Walker eagerly awaits a second chance at the Melbourne Cup on Prince Of Arran, he will first take care of business on Derby day at Flemington. While Walker does not have a ride in Saturday’s Victoria Derby, he is booked on runners from Chris Waller in the three… Read More »
Relucent has followed a similar path to the Victoria Derby as Preferment and trainer Chris Waller is hoping for the same result in this year’s Classic at Flemington. The Waller-trained Preferment won the Group One Victoria Derby as a maiden in 2014 and Relucent is striving for his first win… Read More »
A field of 17 including three from the northern hemisphere will line up in the inaugural $7.5 million Golden Eagle at Rosehill. Saturday’s race is over 1500 metres and is restricted to four-year-olds. Irish horse Never No More, trained by Aidan O’Brien, will be ridden by Pierrre-Charles Boudot who rode… Read More »
Trainer Mark Johnston has set a record for the number of winners trained in a calendar year in Britain with Bavardages’ victory at Kempton. Johnston, 60, who last year became the most successful trainer in terms of career winners in Britain, was saddling his 236th winner of 2019. The previous… Read More »
Multiple Group One-winner Magical has run her last race with a temperature ruling her out of her planned swan song at the Breeders’ Cup meeting. Trainer Aidan O’Brien has confirmed the four-year-old will now head to the broodmare barn. Magical had a stellar 2019, winning the the Tattersalls Gold Cup… Read More »
While the Victorian Racing Minister has lauded the governing authority’s $25 million commitment to horse welfare, others say it does not go far enough. Racing Victoria announced the funding on Monday with the $25 million for the first three years to be spent on improvements to retraining and rehoming retired… Read More »
One-time VRC Oaks favourite Celestial Falls will miss the race but her trainer Mark Newnham still has the chance for Classic glory in Melbourne. Shadow Hero assumed favouritism for Saturday’s Victoria Derby with his Group One victory in the Spring Champion Stakes in which he beat Castelvecchio. The Spring Champion… Read More »
Apprentice Michael Murphy has been suspended for a month on a charge of trying to cheat while weighing out for a race at Townsville. Murphy is based in Brisbane but rides at several provincial meetings each week. Stewards opened an inquiry after the clerk of scales reported Murphy attempted to… Read More »
