Spring racing season is well underway but some country towns in regional Australia have been left high and dry with race meetings cancelled because of continuing drought conditions. So far a meeting in Tamworth has been transferred to Scone and another at Cessnock to Newcastle, while a racing event at… Read More »
Lessons learned from an aborted trip to Sydney have helped Alligator Blood prevail in the Group Three Caulfield Guineas Prelude. Alligator Blood was scheduled to run at Rosehill last month, only to be scratched after becoming agitated in the race day stalls. Sunshine Coast trainer David Vandyke brought the three-year-old… Read More »
Trainer Joe Pride and owner Nick Moraitis will field offers to re-home Destiny’s Kiss after retiring the popular veteran stayer. The 11-year-old beat two runners home at Rosehill in Saturday’s Group Three Colin Stephen Quality and Pride and Moraitis immediately called time on his racing career which lasted 102 starts… Read More »
A drop in class has paved the way for Sydney sprinter Prophet’s Thumb to race to a convincing win at Caulfield. The David Pfieffer-trained mare made her season return in the weight-for-age Group Two McEwen Stakes over 1000 metres at The Valley on September 7. Despite finishing ninth of the… Read More »
French colt Earthlight has extended his unbeaten record to five with his victory in the Group One Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket. Trained by Andrew Fabre and ridden by Mickael Barzalona, Earthlight held off the persistent challenge of Golden Horde. There was drama before the race with the also-unbeaten Siskin… Read More »
Allan Cooper’s first appearance at a city racecourse in a quarter of a century has resulted in him training a winner at Caulfield. No Effort extended her winning sequence to four when successful in Sunday’s Drinkwise Plate (1800m). Ridden by Dwayne Dunn, No Effort ($21) held off Annarbor ($5.50) by… Read More »
Godolphin colt Bivouac has asserted himself as Sydney’s best sprinting three-year-old with a hard-fought victory in the Group One Golden Rose, putting himself in the frame for the $14 million The Everest. His win gave Hugh Bowman a fifth Golden Rose success and capped the jockey’s return from a broken… Read More »
A solid track work gallop with stablemate and subsequent Golden Rose winner Bivouac convinced James Cummings that Ranier could return to the winner’s list and the horse delivered with victory in the final event at Rosehill. Just two races after Bivouac claimed the Group One Golden Rose (1400m), his workout… Read More »
Trainer Mark Newnham is eyeing back-to- back wins in Spring Champion Stakes following Shadow Hero’s dominant success in the Gloaming Stakes at Rosehill. Newnham claimed his first Group One win in the 2018 Spring Champion (2000m) with Maid Of Heaven and has every reason to be confident after Shadow Hero… Read More »
In the months since Craig Williams last rode Valac in a staying race, the leading jockey has noticed a change in the gelding. Williams partnered Valac to victory in Saturday’s RM Ansett Classic at Mornington after guiding him to win the Queen’s Cup at Morphettville in May. Trapped wide early,… Read More »
Trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott will monitor Stampede with a view to backing him up for his third race in three weeks after his win at Rosehill. The seven-year-old led all the way to win Saturday’s Group Three Colin Stephen Quality (2400m), a race that spelled the end of… Read More »
Talented filly Better Reflection assumed the role of giant-killer when she lowered the boom on Gem Of Scotland in the Gallopers Friday Night Members Draw Handicap at Doomben. Gem Of Scotland was sent out a $1.35 favourite on Saturday but was unable to peg back Better Reflection ($5.50), who responded… Read More »
Mister Sea Wolf has continued the winning run of trainer Chris Waller and jockey James McDonald with his victory In the Group Two Shannon Stakes at Rosehill. Waller and McDonald combined to win Friday night’s Group One Moir Stakes at The Valley in Melbourne with Nature Strip and returned to… Read More »
Trainer Phillip Stokes will not rush towards upcoming spring contests with his Mornington winners Sizzlefly and Too Good Too Hard. While holding hopes of bigger and better victories for the pair, Stokes says their time is likely to come in the autumn. Sizzlefly was an odds-on favourite before winning Saturday’s… Read More »
A disappointed Chris Waller will send Enticing Star back to the barrier trials after the Perth mare finished down the track in the Group Two Golden Pendant won by the underrated Mizzy at Rosehill. Enticing Star’s failure has put a cloud over plans to run her in the $14 million… Read More »
Trainer Gerald Ryan and owner-breeder George Altomonte appear to have another promising horse on their hands, with the superbly bred Standout scoring a classy win in the Listed Heritage Stakes at Rosehill. A full brother to Golden Slipper winner Overreach, Standout ($11) remains unbeaten, adding to his victories at Gosford… Read More »
The first European gallopers for the spring carnival have arrived in Melbourne to start their quarantine period at Werribee. Four of the 18 horses arrived on Friday night and the rest touched down on Saturday afternoon. Back for a second shot at Melbourne Cup success is last year’s placegetter Prince… Read More »
Spring carnival plans remain unresolved for Eric The Eel after his unlucky defeat at Doomben. Heavily backed with TAB Fixed Odds from an opening quote of $5.50, the gelding officially started the $2.70 favourite for the benchmark 70 on Saturday but had to settle for an unlucky third to Mr… Read More »
Trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace have again shown the benefit of having a Sydney stable, sending tough performer Dr Drill north to take out the opening race on Golden Rose day. The English import had done his most recent racing in Victoria before Maher and Eustace found a suitable… Read More »
A project former champion trainer Peter Moody undertook to young international horses has payed dividends as Shepard added to his record at Mornington. Shephard, winner of Saturday’s Vale Les Obriem “Craftsman” Handicap, was one of five foals Moody purchased at the Tattersalls Sale at Newmarket in the UK towards the… Read More »
