Classique Legend has shown no ill effects from a delay to his Everest preparation with a solid second to speedster Sunlight in a Randwick barrier trial. Both are headed to the $14 million Everest on October 19 with Ladbrokes markets having the pair at $9 each. The Les Bridge-trained Classique… Read More »
Lindsay Park could be faced with the conundrum of chasing a Group One win or the money with Fundamentalist. The $7.5 million Golden Eagle at Rosehill is on the radar for Fundamentalist, but the Group One Empire Rose Stakes, run the same day at Flemington, may prompt closer scrutiny if… Read More »
Trainer Daniel Bowman is considering options in Melbourne and Adelaide for Begood Toya Mother ahead of his planned Group One target at Caulfield. Bowman has entered Begood Toya Mother in three 1400m-races on Saturday – two at Caulfield and one at Morphettville. Begood Toya Mother is among 17 nominations for… Read More »
After taking a break from riding, former champion Melbourne apprentice Ethan Brown makes a competitive return to race riding at Mornington. Now in the senior ranks, Brown rides the Mick Kent-trained Red Jewel Girl in Tuesday’s Highview Accounting Mornington Handicap, his first race ride since May. The 2017/18 premier apprentice… Read More »
Talented colt Yes Yes Yes is ready to begin a campaign which could lead to the biggest prize of all. He is among seven entries for Saturday’s San Domenico Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill, a kick-off point for the Group One Golden Rose. Also looming large is the $14 million Everest… Read More »
Racing Queensland is taking steps to ensure race programming will encourage bigger field sizes at Toowoomba to help boost betting turnover. Toowoomba, which occupies an evening slot on Saturdays, has taken on an increasingly important role in recent years but turnover has been impacted with small field sizes because of… Read More »
Fan favourite Tom Melbourne has turned in a tidy trial at Beaudesert, albeit teasing the Chris Waller stable by running second. The gelding has a cult following boosted by his reputation for finishing second 14 times in races as well as winning six. Tom Melbourne and stablemate Le Juge were… Read More »
James McDonald will ride Epsom Handicap favourite Te Akau Shark when he makes his Australian debut in the Tramway Stakes. Now Sydney’s premier jockey, McDonald was formerly the stable rider for the powerful Te Akau operation in New Zealand. Te Akau Shark is the TAB’s $6 favourite for the Epsom… Read More »
Retired jockey Pat Smullen has ruled out riding in his charity race at the Irish Champions Weekend after a setback in his health. The multiple Group One-winning jockey announced his retirement in May, having undergone treatment for pancreatic cancer after being diagnosed in March last year. Smullen had been planning… Read More »
New Zealand jumper Tallyho Twinkletoe has equalled the feats of a champion jumper of yesteryear with his dominant victory in the Grand National Steeplechase at Ballarat. Tallyho Twinkletoe became the first horse since Mosstrooper in 1930 to complete the Grand National Hurdle/Steeplechase double in the same year. Patrick Payne calls… Read More »
A boozy night in a pub in the South Island of New Zealand has resulted in Ablaze making his way to the stable of Ciaron Maher and David Eustace and two hurdle victories. Making a winning jumps debut at Coleraine a week ago, Ablaze backed that up with success in… Read More »
Australia-bound Mustajeer has won Europe’s richest handicap, the Ebor at York, ahead of his transfer to Kris Lees to be prepared for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups. Trained in Ireland by Ger Lyons, Mustajeer, who finished fourth in the Ebor last year, won the 2800m-race by three-quarters of a length… Read More »
Trainer Cliff Murray has a long-range flat ambition for Firefree after the gelding ended the jumping season with a strong staying performance at Ballarat. Australia’s longest flat race, the Jericho Cup (4600m) at Warrnambool in December, is in Murray’s sights after Firefree won the Gotta Take Care Hurdle (4000m) on… Read More »
A central Queensland race club has inadvertently washed out its own meeting with jockeys refusing to ride after the track was over-watered halfway through the day. The Dingo Race Club, which is 150km west of Rockhampton, was scheduled to stage five races on Saturday. There were 11 jockeys riding at… Read More »
The news that Mystic Journey is to bypass the Memsie Stakes at Caulfield is music to the ears of trainer Ciaron Maher. Maher, who trains in partnership with David Eustace, will have two runners in Melbourne’s first Group One race of the new season. Cliff’s Edge and Humidor will represent… Read More »
Brisbane’s premier trainer Tony Gollan is step up preparations for the Sydney and Melbourne spring carnivals with his four top horses. Gollan will use jump-outs at Eagle Farm on Tuesday to tone Zoustyle, Garibaldi, Niedorp and Vincere Volare. Garibaldi and Niedorp will then head to the two divisions of the… Read More »
Canberra trainer Matthew Dale has the $1.3 million Kosciuszko at Randwick in his sights with stable stalwart Fell Swoop who will begin his campaign in Melbourne. Fell Swoop, a multiple stakes winner and multiple Group One placegetter, is scheduled to kick off in the Listed Chandler Macleod Stakes (1200m) at… Read More »
Chris Waller-trained spring carnival contenders Tom Melbourne and Le Juge have been given an extra two weeks in the Queensland sunshine before heading south. The two trialled at the Gold Coast two weeks ago and were set to be part of a float-load of horses leaving Queensland two days later…. Read More »
The Gold Coast Turf Club is confident it will not lose any meetings, including during the Magic Millions carnival, when a new polytrack is installed and upgrades of existing racecourse surfaces is carried out. The GCTC will file its final submission on the tracks early next month and expects Treasury… Read More »
Apprentice Jackson Murphy has escaped serious injury after a fall at the Gold Coast. Murphy was tossed from favourite Dream Master shortly after the start in the fifth race on Saturday. He was taken to hospital for observation but released on Saturday night. Murphy posted a message on social media… Read More »
