The Derby aspirations of Vadashan and Kingdoms took a battering as the pair finished out of the placings behind seasoned galloper Coup Acclaim at Canterbury on Wednesday. The three-year-olds crossed the line with little between them, with the favourite Vadashan ($2.60) from the Paul Messara stable edging the John O’Shea-trained… Read More »
Glyn Schofield has aggravated an old injury but nothing will keep him from riding Hay List on Saturday. Schofield was stood down from riding at Canterbury after the third race on Wednesday but said he would be back to partner Hay List in the Group Two Challenge Stakes (1000m) at… Read More »
Ferlax is ready to maintain his progression through the grades when he tackles some of the country’s best three-year-olds in the Randwick Guineas. Modesty prevents trainer Jim Conlan from taking too much credit for the stunning progress of his Australian Guineas winner Ferlax. But as he prepares the colt for… Read More »
Michael Rodd heads to Sydney next week for the autumn return of highly-rated Villa Verde, confident the two-year-old is the right sort of horse to win the Golden Slipper. Rodd put the unbeaten Villa Verde through her paces in a 1000m jumpout at Bendigo on Wednesday and left in the… Read More »
The challenge of growing one of Victoria’s biggest industries, and of maintaining its integrity, has been retained by the state’s new premier. Denis Napthine announced on Tuesday he would balance the racing portfolio along with that of regional cities and the state’s top job. Dr Napthine said the $2 billion… Read More »
John Sadler has no doubts Ms Funovits will be a better horse next season but the trainer has a simple reason for giving the two-year-old her chance at another win in Saturday’s VOBIS Gold Rush. “It’s not very often you get to go to a place like Bendigo and race… Read More »
By any measure, the Group One Randwick Guineas is the premier three-year-old race in Australia this weekend. But that isn’t why Peter Gelagotis has kept his quality colt Hvasstan in Melbourne for the easier option of Friday night’s Group Two Alister Clark Stakes at Moonee Valley. “We’ll be up there… Read More »
New Zealand’s premier stable will be reduced to satellite status with trainer John Sargent planning to train full-time in Australia. As he prepares Choisir colt Good Job Bro for an all-or-nothing Golden Slipper bid at Warwick Farm on Saturday, Sargent has revealed he has finalised plans to transpose his trans-Tasman… Read More »
Classy imported stayer Le Roi has been given a solid work-out between races at Canterbury ahead of his autumn carnival return. Adelaide trainer Tony McEvoy made a quick visit to Sydney on Wednesday to oversee the four-year-old’s gallop. With Glyn Schofield aboard, the Summer Cup winner worked with stablemate Pelicano… Read More »
Randwick Guineas big guns Rebel Dane, Proisir and It’s A Dundeel will start from inside barriers in the Group One race at Warwick Farm on Saturday. When the draw for the $500,000 feature was completed, Rebel Dane drew the rails, It’s A Dundeel was allocated barrier two and Proisir came… Read More »
Irish raider Hurricane Fly became only the second horse to regain his Champion Hurdle crown when he prevailed on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival. The 2011 winner – who joins Comedy of Errors in 1973/75 in reclaiming his title – was never travelling well but battled throughout and… Read More »
The Australian Guineas proved too tough for three-year-old Grand Emperor but his trainer Dean Howard hopes Satruday’s Bendigo Guineas will be a different story. Howard is preparing to take Grand Emperor to Bendigo’s stand-alone meeting for the $150,000 Guineas (1400m) after having a throw at the stumps in the Group… Read More »
Group One-winning West Australian sprinter Barakey is expected to be out for six months after scans revealed he has fractured a knee. Barakey suffered the first defeat of his career in last Saturday’s Group One Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington when he beat just two runners home. But on his… Read More »
Trainer Jason Warren is planning another assault on Sydney’s autumn carnival with his star galloper Bel Sprinter after receiving a positive indication on Tuesday that the horse’s troubles are finally behind him. Bel Sprinter has endured more than the average quota of physical and mental problems in a career that… Read More »
The Zipping Classic meeting that traditionally marks the end of the Melbourne spring canrival will be transferred from to Caulfield while the Sandown track is renovated. The meeting that also features the Sandown Guineas and Sandown Cup is one of several to be affected during the five-month closure from August… Read More »
Bjorn Baker admits he doesn’t know much about new stable acquisition Betrayal, but he likes what he sees. Formerly trained by Gai Waterhouse, Betrayal has his first start for Baker at Canterbury on Wednesday. Just 18 months after setting up a base at Warwick Farm, the New Zealander has established… Read More »
Triple Group One winner Hay List will add considerable depth to Saturday’s Challenge Stakes after being a late addition to the Group Two sprint. Trainer John McNair admitted it was probably his mistake Hay List was not among original nominations but with entries left open, he was added to the… Read More »
A sparkling work-out by Rebel Dane at Warwick Farm on Tuesday has reinforced trainer Gary Portelli’s confidence heading into the Randwick Guineas. The colt made the leap into elite company in the Group Two Hobartville Stakes when he ran Pierro to a short head and the winner’s absence from the… Read More »
Australia’s Horse of the Year Black Caviar will be confronted with another national champion when she makes her Melbourne farewell later this month. Trainer Rick Hore-Lacy plans to run his former Hong Kong star Good Ba Ba against Black Caviar in the William Reid Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on… Read More »
Cheltenham clerk of the course Simon Claisse is satisfied the famous jumps Festival can go ahead without a hitch, despite a freezing cold Monday in the Cotswolds. The whole of the Old Course (used for the first two days of the meeting), the New Course (for the second half) and… Read More »
