After committing to the cross-country trip to ride leading Newmarket Handicap contender Graff at Flemington, Western Australia’s champion jockey William Pike has picked up another six mounts at the feature meeting. Pike has not ridden in Melbourne since 2015 and the last time he competed at Flemington was in September,… Read More »
Matt Dale has been waiting for the right time to extend Fell Swoop beyond his traditional distance range and he has finally found it. The seven-year-old will race beyond 1200 metres for just the second time in his career when he takes his place against a crack field of sprinters… Read More »
NEWMARKET HANDICAP Run at Flemington over 1200m, $1.25 million, handicap HISTORY * First run in 1874 when won by Maid Of Avenel NOTABLE WINNERS * Malua (1884); Wakeful (1901); Gothic (1927-28); Aurie’s Star (1937); Bernborough (1946); Correct (1960-61); Century (1973); Maybe Mahal (1978); Placid Ark (1987); Shaftesbury Avenue (1991); Schillaci… Read More »
Trainer Bjorn Baker is counting on a light weight and the addition of blinkers helping Champagne Cuddles in her bid to claim an elusive Group One win in the Newmarket Handicap at Flemington. Champagne Cuddles has been placed four times in Group One races during her 17-start career but is… Read More »
Tony Gollan is confident Vincere Volare will confirm the Brisbane trainer made the right decision to miss two earlier feature races in Sydney when she steps out at Randwick. Vincere Volare is unbeaten in two starts in Brisbane and Gollan is growing in confidence she can make it three from… Read More »
A keen form student, jockey Craig Williams says the Australian Cup is an intriguing race with a number of different form lines meeting at Flemington. Williams rides the Chris Waller-trained Shillelagh, the only mare in Saturday’s Group One race, and said she had chased the ride after watching her at… Read More »
AUSTRALIAN CUP Run at Flemington over 2000m, $1.5 million, weight-for-age HISTORY * First run in 1863 when won by Barwon * Weight-for-age since 1979 except for 1982-86. 1863-1942 run over 18 furlongs, 1943-62 17 furlongs 110 yards, 1963 14 furlongs, since 1964 10 furlongs (2000m) NOTABLE WINNERS * Tim Whiffler… Read More »
Consistent gelding Impasse has thrived in Queensland and he can prove he is the best of former star two-year-old Amelia’s Dream’s offspring when he runs at Eagle Farm. The careers of few non-Group One winning mares have been followed as closely as Amelia’s Dream. As a racehorse she was a… Read More »
When it comes to Ball Of Muscle, a quick glance at the horse’s family history tells Joe Pride that age really is just a number. At eight, it would be fair to assume the speedster is past his best but given his half-brothers performed at the highest level as older… Read More »
A freak accident has claimed the life of last-start Sydney winner Deep Chill as he was being prepared for the Sires’ Produce Stakes at Flemington. The David Payne-trained colt was one of the fancied runners ahead of Saturday’s Group Two race for two-year-olds. Deep Chill was working on the pro-ride… Read More »
Sydney Cup placegetter Charles Road can earn another tilt at the $2 million race if he performs well in the Auckland Cup at Ellerslie. The gelding, who races as Sir Charles Road in Australia, ran third in the 2018 Sydney Cup behind Who Shot Thebarman and Zacada and a creditable… Read More »
Santa Anita Park has cancelled horse racing indefinitely after the latest in a series of horse fatalities at the renowned track. The track has now suffered 21 fatalities in racing and training since the winter meeting began on December 26. Santa Anita also announced it had hired Dennis Moore, the… Read More »
Flags will fly at half-mast at Melbourne’s feature autumn race meeting at Flemington as part of a tribute to renowned journalist, author and historian Les Carlyon who has died aged 76. Carlyon had a passion for racing and was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall Of Fame in 2016 for… Read More »
Trainer Chris Munce is putting the final touches to Urban Ruler’s tilt at the $5 million All- Star Mile while at the same time trying to solve a conundrum with promising filly Zoucara. Urban Ruler made the field for the All-Star Mile after finishing second on the popular vote but… Read More »
Mick Price sees his working hours getting longer despite being about to take on a training partner. Mick Kent jr, son of respected Cranbourne trainer Mick Kent, is set to join the Caulfield-based Price in coming weeks. “I love doing what I’m doing and have no intentions of stepping back,”… Read More »
Injury has cast doubt over Tassort’s Golden Slipper campaign but such is the depth in Godolphin’s two-year-old stocks they are poised to strengthen their grip on the $3.5 million race in spite of the star colt’s absence at Randwick. Tassort is an easing Slipper favourite after being ruled out of… Read More »
Trainer Toby Edmonds has continued to build his association with some of Australia’s biggest stud operations with Music’s win at Doomben. Music’s jockey Jeff Lloyd had to survive a protest from runner-up Tickettome’s rider, apprentice Michael Murphy, to register her first win at her fourth race start. Murphy protested on… Read More »
Jockey Skye Bogenhuber has been cleared of serious brain damage after a fall in a jump-out at Toowoomba. Bogenhuber was taken to the Toowoomba Hospital after Tuesday’s fall and tests showed she had a small bleed on the brain. Specialists from Brisbane examined Bogenhuber on Wednesday after further CT scans…. Read More »
Multiple Group One winner Le Romain remains stabled in Melbourne with the possibility he could sneak into the All-Star Mile as an emergency. Le Romain failed to gain enough votes to make the top 10 to secure an All-Star Mile spot and then was snubbed by the selection panel for… Read More »
An upcoming Seymour meeting has been transferred to Echuca to allow additional recovery time following a recent track renovation. The Seymour track was reconstructed in 2016 and after returning later that year has been periodically rested to allow for consolidation, most recently in May last year. Following four meetings last… Read More »
