John Sargent reckons his two Tea Rose Stakes fillies have snuck under the guard of punters as boom three-year-old Libertini maintains a stranglehold on the market. The winner of the Silver Shadow and Furious Stakes, Libertini is the $1.85 favourite to add the Tea Rose (1400m) to her resume, despite… Read More »
Connections of Tasmanian mare Mystic Journey have decided to stick with their original pathway to the Cox Plate with her next start to be the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington. Mystic Journey was beaten as a short-priced favourite by $101 shot Gatting in last Saturday’s Group One Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m)… Read More »
SIR RUPERT CLARKE STAKES 1400m, $500,000, handicap, run at Caulfield HISTORY * First run in 1951 when won by Jovial Lad * Run as an invitational race from 1951 to 1974 for invited jockeys * Group One from 1979 NOTABLE WINNERS * Torbek (1980); Magari (1982); Canny Lass (1986); Mannerism… Read More »
The Queensland Racing Integrity Commission will make a special compensation payment to the connections of the horse demoted to second after stewards over-ruled a photo-finish result two months after the race. RQ stewards officially changed the result this week after an inquiry into the original decision in the race at… Read More »
With Luke Nolen benched because of a careless riding suspension, Lindsay Park has picked a similar style of rider for So Si Bon ahead of his Group One assignment at Caulfield. Co-trainer Tom Dabernig says Nolen and his quiet approach have been part of the reason So Si Bon has… Read More »
Te Akau Racing has confirmed it has booked James McDonald to partner New Zealand raider Te Akau Shark in the Group One Epsom Handicap. McDonald has retained the mount after riding the dual Group winner at his Australian debut when he finished runner-up to Dreamforce in the Tramway Stakes at… Read More »
German import Django Freeman’s spring carnival is over before it began with the horse suffering a knee injury. Trainer Robert Hickmott has told Racing Victoria stewards Django Freeman has a bone chip in his near fore knee and will now be spelled, ruling him out of the spring features. Lightly… Read More »
Queensland jockey Tiffani Brooker has been disqualified for nine months after a recent urine test showed traces of a number of prohibited drugs. Stewards opened an inquiry after Brooker submitted a urine test at the Sunshine Coast on August 11. The inquiry heard Brooker’s test showed traces of amphetamine, methamphetamine,… Read More »
Sunlight has joined Santa Ana Lane as a non-runner in the Group Two Shorts because of the wet Randwick track. The Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained mare is now likely to run in the Moir Stakes at The Valley next week. The Shorts (1100m) is a major lead-up to the $14… Read More »
Sydney’s wet weather has boosted trainer James Cummings’ confidence Avilius can turn the tables on Samadoubt in the Group One George Main Stakes. The Bjorn Baker-trained Samadoubt has been the surprise packet so far during the Sydney spring, winning the Group One Winx Stakes (1400m) then backing it up with… Read More »
The win of Extending at Sale will give trainer Bruce Purcell the ideal tonic as he continues his recovery from an incident at the Cranbourne training centre. Purcell was placed in an induced coma after being injured in an accident when one of his horses was being unloaded from the… Read More »
In-form jockey Michael Cahill will again show the value of his renowned fitness when he makes a quick trip back from an interstate ride to partner Morendi at Eagle Farm. There are few fitter riders than Cahill who will have had 20 rides at four different tracks in four days… Read More »
New Zealand three-year-old Long Jack will be out to enhance his Victoria Derby prospects when he steps up in distance at Caulfield for the second Australian start of his spring campaign. Trained by Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman in New Zealand, Long Jack is in Melbourne to target the Group… Read More »
A precautionary scope ahead of a planned Caulfield Cup lead-up race has resulted in trainer David Brideoake scratching Self Sense from the MRC Foundation Cup at Caulfield. Self Sense is guaranteed a start in next month’s Caulfield Cup (2400m) courtesy of his victory in the Mornington Cup earlier in the… Read More »
As eighties-inspired looks get ready to take centre-stage during spring racing season, there’s one essential tip celebrity stylist Jess Pecoraro says every woman should heed. “Comfortable shoes is an essential,. It’s definitely a must because I do think you do not take your shoes off during the day,” Ms Pecoraro… Read More »
Queensland trainers want a system of compensation introduced to cover events such as the decision to overturn a photo finish result two months after the race. After a race at Yeppoon on July 23, Great Fox was declared the winner despite connections of runner-up Victory Toast disputing the photo-finish decision…. Read More »
Libertini is odds-on to continue her domination of the Princess Series, although a wet track and distance rise have a rival jockey firmly believing he can upset the star filly. Tim Clark almost brought Libertini’s winning sequence to an end in the Furious Stakes (1200m) when he went to the… Read More »
After two wins on country tracks the usual regime for a progressive horse is to step quietly into city ranks. Trainer Grahame Begg is taking a different approach, going straight to stakes level with Beauty Bolt in the Jim Moloney Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield. Beauty Bolt is unbeaten in two… Read More »
Horse racing glitz and glamour was on show at Royal Randwick’s newest precinct, Pony Palms, where the world’s richest turf race The Everest has been launched in Sydney. The Palm Springs-inspired area featuring a trackside pool surrounded by cabanas and umbrellas will be opened to racegoers on Saturday, with ambassador… Read More »
Everest favourite Santa Ana Lane has been scratched from an important lead-up race to the $14 million sprint because of a heavy track at Randwick. Santa Ana Lane was an acceptor for Saturday’s Group Two Shorts (1100m) but Sydney’s wet weather has prompted trainer Anthony Freedman to keep the star… Read More »
