Riverina jockey Nick Heywood has been suspended for 10 months after testing positive to a banned substance. Racing NSW stewards penalised Heywood after he pleaded guilty to returning the positive sample after riding at the Wagga Wagga races on July 8. While Heywood’s licence was suspended in full for 10… Read More »
Phillip Stokes would have preferred a softer barrier draw for Terbium’s return to racing at The Valley but the trainer cannot fault the gelding’s build-up to the race. The unfashionably bred Terbium, by Terango out of Serene Lass, made a name for himself winning his first four races last summer,… Read More »
Champion jumper Wells will line up in a capacity field of 12 in his attempt at a record fourth victory in the Grand National Steeplechase at Ballarat. Wells won the Grand National at Sandown in 2014 before his victories in the race at Ballarat in 2016 and 2017 and shares… Read More »
The Wellington Boot is not a traditional pathway to the Sydney spring carnival but that’s the offbeat route Joe Pride has taken with little-known three-year-old Superium. The gelding will line up against a promising field of emerging young horses in the Up And Coming Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday… Read More »
Magic Millions Classic placegetter Hightail begins his three-year-old season in Melbourne and his co-trainer Peter Snowden is confident the well-travelled gelding is forward enough to make an impression in the Listed McKenzie Stakes. Hightail raced in three states as a juvenile, winning two of his first three starts in NSW… Read More »
Anthony Cummings is not afraid to be bold in his opinions of his horses but when it comes to exciting filly Libertini, he is noticeably measured. Libertini is being set on a traditional spring three-year-old fillies’ path, resuming in Saturday’s Group Two Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) at Randwick before tackling… Read More »
A slight muscle injury has forced adjustments to Oak Door’s program with the sprinter now to ready to run in the Carlyon Stakes. Since winning the Group Three Sir John Monash Stakes at Caulfield on July 13, Oak Door has been off the scene with a torn muscle. The John… Read More »
A big drop in the weights has boosted stable confidence that Crafty Cop can continue the Anderson-Heathcote training partnership’s run of success. Trainers Chris Anderson and Robert Heathcote started their partnership on May 1 and have since prepared 38 winners. The partnership has had winners at the past five metropolitan… Read More »
For the first time in four years, Winx will not be at Randwick for the traditional start to the Sydney spring carnival. What was formerly the Group Two Warwick Stakes is now named for the champion, who won it three times, and kicks off Group One racing for the season…. Read More »
Lindsay Park wants to give promising filly Taraayef as much practice at The Valley as possible ahead of a planned tilt at a stakes race. A winner at the first meeting of the new racing season earlier this month, Taraayef returns to The Valley on Saturday for the Palentino –… Read More »
Warwick Farm trainer Bjorn Baker has sent the consistent Drachenfels north to the Gold Coast in a bid to break a frustrating run of minor placings for the gelding. Baker has had considerable success in Queensland and scored his first major win when Unencumbered won the 2014 Magic Millions Two-Year-Old… Read More »
Veteran stayer Outraged will step up in distance as he returns to the scene of his career-best run at the Gold Coast on Saturday. Trainer Kelly Schweida accepted with Outraged in the John Morrissey Handicap (2200m) and the William and Elsie Morgan Handicap (1800m). After much consideration, he has decided… Read More »
Greg Rudolph has announced he is stepping down from his role as chief executive of Hawkesbury Race Club to pursue other interests. A former Racing NSW steward, Rudolph as been at the helm of the provincial club for the past 3-1/2 years and has overseen several major projects during his… Read More »
A family trait that points to spring bringing out the best in Lakia promises to be a potent asset for the filly after her convincing win at Canterbury. Lakia is the first foal from Arabian Gold, a five-time stakes winner who first served notice of her talent as an early-season… Read More »
Canberra trainer Matthew Dale made the trip to Sandown with two horses and almost came away with a perfect result. Victory by Shangani Patrol in the Long Fine Plate on Wednesday was spoilt by the long neck defeat of Perfect Rhyme in The Big Screen Company Handicap earlier in the… Read More »
Victoria’s leading jockey Linda Meech stood herself down from her final ride after a fall at Sandown. Meech was riding Wild Sea in Wednesday’s Long Fine Plate when the mare faltered near the 300m. Checked over by medical staff, Meech walked back to the jockeys’ room before making the call… Read More »
In a practice usually reserved for Melbourne Cup week, Annarbor has successfully backed-up at Sandown after recording a win at another venue four days earlier. The Tony Noonan-trained mare was successful at Cranbourne on Sunday before her victory in Wednesday’s Blue Star Print Handicap. Noonan admitted it is not something… Read More »
Anthony Cummings has pressed the restart button on Vegadaze and sent the horse for a short freshen-up after a disappointing start to his preparation. The decision was made earlier this week when Vegadaze travelled to Newcastle for a barrier trial and finished fourth after over-racing. He displayed similar antics when… Read More »
Jockey Michael Cahill showed he was maintaining his winter carnival form when he brought off an upset win on Magic Trick at Ipswich. Despite having won his previous start at Doomben in metropolitan class, Magic Trick started ($15) before beating the short-priced favourite Battle Strike ($1.70) in a driving finish…. Read More »
Having a busy schedule is part and parcel of training racehorses but Joe Pride doubts his time has ever been in such demand. As Sydney’s spring carnival of racing heats up with the running of the season’s first Group One race, the Winx Stakes at Randwick on Saturday, Pride is… Read More »
