Sydney trainer Con Karakatsanis and his father Tony have been found guilty of breaching raceday protocols during last year’s Melbourne spring carnival. A Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board handed down its finding on Tuesday in their absence after final submissions were heard on Monday. Karakatsanis and his father were charged… Read More »
An unblemished Moonee Valley record and the absence of champion Black Caviar has enticed trainer Stephen Brown to give Sea Lord his chance at Group race success in the Australia Stakes. Brown has aimed Sea Lord at the Group Two weight-for-age feature on Friday night since the gelding’s second in… Read More »
Officials at Cheltenham believe the weather over the next 48 hours will be crucial as to whether their Festival Trials meeting will go ahead on Saturday. Although the course is raceable under the protective covers, it remains very cold and more snow is forecast before a hoped-for improvement in the… Read More »
Paul Nicholls is praying the weather warms up in time to enable him to put the finishing touches to his Cheltenham Festival squad. Big names such as Tidal Bay, Sanctuaire and Harry The Viking are due to be in action at Cheltenham and Doncaster this weekend but prospects for both… Read More »
England rugby star Mike Tindall has joined his royal wife Zara with a stroke of luck in the equine stakes. The Queen’s eldest granddaughter labelled her husband an “idiot” after he bid 12,000 pounds ($A18,215) for form-less Monbeg Dude at auction “without meaning to win”. “I knew nothing about him,… Read More »
Australian jockey Stephen Baster has had his Singapore licence revoked with no reason given. The Singapore Turf Club issued a one line statement on Monday saying Baster could no longer ride there. “The Club has withdrawn the Jockey Licence issued to Stephen Baster with immediate effect,” the statement said. Baster… Read More »
A full brother to star sprinter Melito will make his public debut in a barrier trial at Rosehill on Tuesday with trainer Gerald Ryan excited about his prospects. The Redoute’s Choice-Cloister colt had a taste of the bustle of raceday on Saturday when he walked over from his stable to… Read More »
Racing will return to the Victorian provincial racetrack Yarra Valley next month after a two-year absence. Twelve barrier trials featuring 60 horses were held at the racetrack on Monday, clearing the way for a February 17 resumption of racing. Leading apprentice Katelyn Mallon, close to her own comeback to racing… Read More »
Norm Hilton is now a former Queensland trainer with Carry Me Bluey to be the first runner from his Newcastle stable when he lines up in Saturday’s Australia Day Cup at Warwick Farm. Hilton and a friend left Toowoomba on Saturday and drove through the night in two different trucks… Read More »
The case mounted by Melbourne stewards against Sydney trainer Con Karakatsanis and his father Tony “stretched credibility” and should be rejected, their lawyer told Victoria’s Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board on Monday. After a day of legal wrangling in which both sides failed in applications, RAD Board chairman Russell Lewis… Read More »
Thousand Guineas winner Commanding Jewel has joined her unbeaten half-sister Atlantic Jewel as an autumn carnival absentee. On the verge of starting the serious part of a preparation aimed at having her peak for the Sydney carnival, Commanding Jewel has suffered a joint injury. “She has tweaked a joint and… Read More »
Unbeaten Blue Diamond Stakes favourite Miracles Of Life heads a strong list of fillies nominated for Saturday’s Preview to Victoria’s premier juvenile race. Miracles Of Life assumed market leadership with a nine-length win at Morphettville last start that followed an impressive victory at her debut. In a race that seems… Read More »
Frankel last week received the official stamp of approval as the greatest racehorse of all time. However, the world’s racing handicappers, the body which decides such weighty matters, in doing so also, for some, undermined the whole process by readjusting the historical weights given to previous great champions. Dancing Brave,… Read More »
Racing continues to be in the grip of the current cold snap with both artificial and turf surfaces alike struggling to cope with the snowy conditions. There has been no jumps action in Britain since Wincanton on Thursday and hopes of a quick resumption are not great. Tuesday’s jumps meeting… Read More »
A spike in a pre-race bi-carb test and the subsequent betting ring support for Flemington runner-up The New Boy prompted the temporary impounding of both him and winning stablemate Kutchinsky after Saturday’s meeting. Racing Victoria chief steward Terry Bailey said on Sunday the pre-race screen indicated a jump in the… Read More »
Michelle Payne has finished third in her first race since suffering serious head injuries in a fall last year. Payne rode Fieldmaster for her trainer brother Patrick in the Summer Cup (2100m) in Hobart on Sunday. Fieldmaster was the $2.90 favourite but daring front running tactics by Jason Maskiell on… Read More »
Late bloomer Wise Dan has been named the United States Horse of the Year, easily beating I’ll Have Another for the title. The five-year-old, winner of five of his six starts in 2012, became the first gelding to win the title since John Henry in 1984. His major wins were… Read More »
Gai Waterhouse has joined the growing band of trainers sourcing stayers from Europe but will revert to a stable tradition in the Australia Day Cup with a trio of ex new Zealanders. Group One placegetters Tullamore and Reuben Percival will be joined by up-and-comer Travolta in Saturday’s 2400m feature at… Read More »
Of the many two-year-olds that have arrived in his stable this season, perhaps Metastasio has surprised trainer Peter Snowden the most. An impressive debut winner at Flemington on Saturday, Metastasio was promptly inserted high in markets for the Blue Diamond Stakes on February 23 but she will have to earn… Read More »
Telegraph Handicap winner Final Touch is likely to stay in New Zealand for the rest of the season despite an approach from premier Sydney trainer Chris Waller. Final Touch had to carry 58kg topweight Saturday’s Group One sprint at Trentham but it didn’t stop her bursting through the pack in… Read More »
