Mick Price was out of his chair and had his first major win in sight. It was 2006 and stable star Pompeii Ruler was in front in the Cox Plate with 50 metres to run. “I got up off my chair and gave him a cheer,” Price recalled. “I went… Read More »
Danny Nikolic knows he will be a marked man aboard odds-on favourite Mosheen in Saturday’s Group One Vinery Stud Stakes at Rosehill. But such is his confidence in the filly, he doesn’t believe it will matter. After defying the outside barrier to win the Australian Guineas then overcoming a wide… Read More »
Chris Waller will have runners in four of the five Group One races at Rosehill on Saturday but he won’t be limiting his chances of stakes success to Sydney. The leading trainer will start First Look in the Listed Bright Shadow Handicap (1200m) at Eagle Farm in a quest to… Read More »
New Zealand trainer Stephen McKee will test the Australian waters with emerging talent Eight Schillings at Caulfield on Saturday. The winner of his past three starts across the Tasman, Eight Schillings takes on a quality field in the Group Three Victoria Handicap (1400m) which could be a forerunner to bigger… Read More »
Trainer Robert Heathcote reckons Saturday’s star-studded George Ryder Stakes should undergo a name change. “They could really call it the Doncaster Prelude,” Heathcote said. “It’s super for racing.” There is already a Doncaster Prelude and it will be run at Randwick on Saturday week, but the Group One George Ryder… Read More »
Officials at England’s Goodwood racecourse have dangled a STG1 million ($A1.56 million) carrot to bring the world’s two highest-rated horses, Frankel and Black Caviar, together in the Sussex Stakes. Won last year by Frankel, the Sussex Stakes carries STG300,000 in prizemoney but the influential Sheikh Fahad, who sponsors the race,… Read More »
John Thompson has been waiting to get stablemates Strength and Trophies up in distance and gets his wish at Rosehill on Saturday. The two Casino Prince colts will line up in Saturday’s Group Three The Schweppervescence over 1400 metres, six years after their sire was unplaced as favourite in the… Read More »
Co-trainers Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra are confident Lucky Eighty Eight is peaking for the Easter Cup at Caulfield after two unplaced runs this campaign. Last year’s Kyneton Cup (2000m) winner was beaten five lengths first-up when Smokin’ Joey broke 1:22 for 1400 metres at Flemington on March 10 and… Read More »
Trainer Con Karakatsanis is unperturbed by Riva De Lago’s wide draw but admits to reservations over the distance of Saturday’s Sebring Stakes. The four-year-old resumed with an unlucky fourth to Title last month when he drew barrier two and had trouble gaining clear running in the straight. Karakatsanis is much… Read More »
Sydney’s premiership leading jockey Hugh Bowman is far from running scared of star filly Mosheen and is confident Streama has the ability to topple the favourite in Saturday’s Vinery Stud Stakes. The two Group One-winning fillies will clash for the first time in the 2000m Group One feature at Rosehill… Read More »
Christian Reith hit top form ahead of his first Golden Slipper ride with a winning treble at Warwick Farm on Wednesday. Reith will partner the Gerald Ryan-trained filly Cavalry Rose in the $3.5 million Golden Slipper at Rosehill and ensured his confidence was sky high with victories on Emotional Circus,… Read More »
One of the best mares in Australia, Cox Plate winner Pinker Pinker, has died after reportedly suffering a reaction to a routine treatment. Trained in Victoria by Greg Eurell, Pinker Pinker was due to contest the Group One Queen Of The Turf Stakes at Rosehill on Saturday. The Eurell stable… Read More »
Anthony Freedman is likely to dodge star colt All Too Hard with Sandown winner Boban in the Group One Sires’ Produce Stakes at Randwick on Saturday week. Boban, wearing blinkers for the first time and with the ear muffs off, was sent out at $11 in the Schweppes Hcp (1400m)… Read More »
Two years ago she was an unwanted juvenile – now consistent Gold Coast galloper Ma Royal Hiney is a valuable race mare bound for a productive career in the breeding barn. Ma Royal Hiney, left behind by her former owner, repaid the faith shown in her by trainer Bryan Guy… Read More »
Sprinter-miler Chasm will be in unfamiliar territory when he steps out over 2000 metres in the Easter Cup but trainer Brendan McCarthy is looking forward to the challenge. McCarthy said the seven-year-old had been a great campaigner over the shorter distances, including a Group One placing in the 2010 Emirates… Read More »
Jim Conlan’s patience with Larry’s Never Late could be about to be rewarded with the gelding finally over injury issues which have severely restricted him for nearly two years. Conlan said Saturday’s Group Three Victoria Handicap was an important stepping stone for the talented six-year-old who is being aimed at… Read More »
James McDonald’s path to his first Golden Slipper ride on Ashokan started seven months ago on an early spring morning at Randwick. As McDonald prepared to put two of John O’Shea’s three Golden Slipper hopefuls through their paces in their final serious hitout this week, both trainer and jockey reflected… Read More »
James Cummings believes recent editions of the Group One BMW provide a reason for optimism with stakeswinning stayer Precedence. Cummings, foreman in Sydney for his legendary grandfather Bart, says Precedence needs to run the race of his life to topple the fancied stayers on Saturday but the honour roll shows… Read More »
One trainer not so pleased to see the sun shining in Sydney this week is Matthew Smith. Smith will saddle up Hurtle Myrtle in the Group One Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on Saturday when she will clash with the likes of glamour mare More Joyous and… Read More »
Far from showing he is in the twilight of his career, durable New Zealander King Mufhasa has reached new heights as a seven-year-old. The winner of seven Group One races at home and the champion racehorse of 2008-09, King Mufhasa has enhanced his record with two Group One victories in… Read More »
