Melbourne’s premier jockey Craig Williams has given Exhilarates a glowing endorsement after riding the best-credentialed filly in the Atlantic Jewel Stakes to victory in the Listed race at The Valley. The James Cummings-trained Magic Millions Classic winner Exhilarates resumed from a spell with an impressive win in the Group Three… Read More »
The margin wasn’t as big as expected but Libertini has proven she has courage as well as class, chasing down Villami to score a narrow but decisive Furious Stakes victory at Randwick. The star filly gave punters who took the $1.18 quote a scare when she ranged up to leader… Read More »
Since he won a maiden on debut, Baller has been from benchmark grade to Group One level and back again with mixed success, finally getting a confidence-boosting result at Randwick. Trainer Anthony Cummings has always had a high opinion of Baller whose fourth win has taken a bit longer than… Read More »
Slow learner Kentucky Breeze will be given the chance at qualifying for a start in the Caulfield Cup after recording an easy win at The Valley. Victory in Saturday’s Powerflo Solutions Handicap was Kentucky Breeze’s second in succession at the home of the Cox Plate with trainer Levi Kavanagh planning… Read More »
Talented gelding Scallopini left trainer Steve O’Dea with plenty of options after his brave win at Eagle Farm. Scallopini was having his first start since April but showed plenty of heart to run down Desert Digby ($6) by a long neck in the UMS School Wear Handicap (1200m). It completed… Read More »
A run of bad luck in Highway Handicaps finally turned for Terry Robinson when Lady Demi got the decision in a deceptive photo finish at Randwick. Robinson was ruing his luck when Lady Demi and Rioli went to the line together and said he didn’t think she’d won. “No I… Read More »
Stakes winner Power Scheme has kicked off his Victoria Derby campaign on a winning note at The Valley in his first start since being gelded. Beginning his spring campaign over 1500m in Saturday’s Ladbrokes Odds Boost Exotics Handicap, last season’s Listed Fernhill Handicap winner settled midfield under jockey Mark Zahra… Read More »
Three-year-old Yao Dash has given training partners Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott plenty to think about after making it two wins from as many starts against a quality field at Randwick. Starting the $3.30 favourite, Yao Dash was coming off a dominant maiden win at Canterbury in slick time and… Read More »
Promising Reckless Choice is on a Magic Millions path after an easy win in the Brisbane Neurosurgery Handicap at Eagle Farm. Reckless Choice gave apprentice Stephanie Thornton her fourth win for trainer Steve O’Dea since moving from Victoria last month. Thornton didn’t panic when she got well back early but… Read More »
Warwick Farm trainer Gary Portelli has predicted more Sydney horses will be heading to Brisbane in coming weeks after Picaro won at Eagle Farm. Picaro ($7.50) won a battle with favourite Miss Shanti ($2.60) to score by a half head in the Madison Cleaning Plate (1825m). Portelli, who also won… Read More »
Gale force winds have forced officials to call off the race meeting at Kembla Grange. Winds up to 90km per hour continue on the NSW South Coast after getting to more than 100kph on Friday night. When Racing NSW stewards got to Kembla Grange they discovered the running rail had… Read More »
Wu Gok has proven he is more than just a wet track specialist with his second stakes win in the space of a week, adding the Wyong Gold Cup to his Premier’s Cup. Six days after ploughing through heavy conditions in the Group Three race at Rosehill, Wu Gok has… Read More »
Matt Cumani has noticed a change in Cups-nominated Duretto who runs for the second time for the trainer at The Valley. After a leg injury halted his path towards last year’s Melbourne Cup for Andrew Balding, Duretto was left in Australia to be trained by Cumani. A fading 10th first-up… Read More »
Toowoomba’s Kevin Kemp can further boost his reputation as a trainer who can get the best out of cheap buys when Star Centre tackles a hot field at Eagle Farm. Star Centre will attempt to make it two wins in a row in the Three-Year-Old Handicap (1400m) which is looming… Read More »
Champion New Zealand trainer Murray Baker’s Australian spring carnival team has hit the ground running and The Chosen One will try to keep the momentum going in the Group Two Feehan Stakes. Baker, who is now in partnership with Andrew Forsman at Cambridge, has won 21 Group One races in… Read More »
Trainer Kris Lees has taken a long-term view in his decision to remove blinkers from Graff and admits the gear change could come back to bite him in an all-star edition of the Concorde Stakes. Graff has worn blinkers in each of his nine starts but unhappy with the horse’s… Read More »
Four-time Cox Plate winner Winx headlines the five contenders for the Victorian Racehorse of the Year award for 2018/19. The Racehorse of the Year will be one of the awards announced at the annual Victorian Racing Awards on Saturday night in Melbourne. Melbourne Cup winner Cross Counter, Australian Guineas and… Read More »
As spring starts, many owners and trainers have big plans for their horses. On the other hand there is Patrick Payne, a quiet achiever who is happy to pick off what he sees as achievable races. Payne was a major player through the winter of the recently completed jumps season… Read More »
In its short history, the Listed Atlantic Jewel Stakes at The Valley has already proven a springboard to Group One success for a couple of high profile fillies. And connections of a number of fillies will be hoping this year’s edition can do likewise. In four runnings of the Atlantic… Read More »
Trainer Desleigh Forster has only one worry about running Desert Digby in open company instead of a restricted race at Eagle Farm. Forster accepted with Desert Digby in Saturday’s UMS Schoolwear Open Handicap (1200m) and the TAB No Metropolitan Win Handicap (1200m). After studying the two fields she opted to… Read More »
