Singapore-based South African jockey Barend Vorster will have to wait a little longer to make his racing debut in Australia. Vorster was booked to ride Game Keeper in Saturday’s Group One Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield but cannot get a visa in time. “Unfortunately I’ve had to cancel my trip… Read More »
The interpretation of slang language is likely to be a central issue when trainer Ben Currie defends animal cruelty charges in future hearings. Currie was in the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal on Thursday when he was successful in a stay on a suspension handed down by stewards on Monday…. Read More »
South Australian Balf’s Choice has emerged as the highest vote getter in the public poll for spots in the All-Star Mile with his trainer Ryan Balfour rapt to have the horse named for his late father in the $5 million race at Flemington. Horses 🏇: View the All Star Mile… Read More »
Anthony Cummings has reassessed his training approach with the lightly raced Baller and he is already noticing a difference. Baller has won two of his four starts but was beaten both times he stepped up to 1400 metres at his initial campaign over the late spring and summer. Cummings had… Read More »
OAKLEIGH PLATE 1100m, Caulfield, $500,000, Handicap HISTORY * First run in 1884 when won by Malua. Group One since 1980. Run over 1200m from 1884-1972; 1100m since * Leading modern-day trainers are John Hawkes: Harpagus (1982) and Sports (2000), Paul Perry: Dantelah (1999) and Fastnet Rock (2005), Gerald Ryan: Snitzel… Read More »
Toowoomba trainer Ben Currie has been granted a stay of a suspension arising out of a show cause hearing earlier this week. It means Currie can resume training immediately and work his horses as of Thursday afternoon. The state’s leading trainer had 80 horses detained in their stable boxes after… Read More »
Training partners Ciaron Maher and David Eustace’s chances of an Oakleigh Plate win have been dealt a blow by wide barriers for their two runners. Stablemates Kemono and Bons Away have drawn next to each in Saturday’s Group One sprint over 1100m at Caulfield, in 19 and 20 respectively. The… Read More »
BLUE DIAMOND STAKES 1200m, Caulfield, $1,500,000, Two-year-olds HISTORY * First run in 1971 when won by Tolerance NOTABLE WINNERS * Manikato (1978); Rancher (1982); Bounding Away (1986); Midnight Fever (1987); Zeditave (1988); Redoute’s Choice (1999); Bel Esprit (2002); Alinghi (2004); Star Witness (2010); Sepoy (2011); Miracles Of Life (2013); Extreme… Read More »
Champion trainer Chris Waller has used a proven winning formula by trialling open company stablemates Jaminzah and Veladero five days before their weekend assignments. Jaminzah and Veladero will clash in Saturday’s Open Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm. The pair had solid hit-outs in a four-horse trial at the Gold Coast… Read More »
If boom Chris Waller-trained colt The Autumn Sun is going to be beaten this campaign, Paul Snowden reckons it will be this weekend. And for that reason he is happy to saddle up Bondi against the odds-on favourite in the Hobartville Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill on Saturday. “If the favourite… Read More »
Two weeks is a long time in racing, especially with a two-year-old. Leading into the fillies division of the Blue Diamond Prelude at Caulfield on February 9, Catch Me was vying for favouritism for Saturday’s Group One Blue Diamond Stakes, Melbourne’s premier juvenile race. But in the near 65 seconds… Read More »
FUTURITY STAKES 1400m, Caulfield, $500,000, weight-for-age HISTORY * First run in 1898 when won by Resolute. Group One since 1980 * Lee Freedman with four winners – Mannerism (1992); Schillaci (1993/95); Mr Murphy (2001) and David Hayes – Primacy (1994); Fields Of Omagh (2006); Niconero (2008/09) – head the modern… Read More »
Blue Diamond Stakes favourite Loving Gaby will have a to pass a second veterinary inspection to take her place in the $1.5 million race. The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained filly was showing signs of lameness in her right foreleg when examined on Thursday as was Shotmaker from the Mick… Read More »
Tulloch Lodge faces an uphill battle to get unraced youngster Faretti into the Golden Slipper but such is the stable’s faith in the $2 million colt it is prepared to chance the odds. Co-trainer Gai Waterhouse has already won the holy grail of Australian two-year-old racing six times and her… Read More »
Kris Lees is unfazed by the outside barrier for Le Romain who puts his All-Star Mile credentials on the line in the Futurity Stakes at Caulfield. Success in Saturday’s Group One weight-for-age race is likely to secure the winner a wild card into the inaugural running of the $5 million… Read More »
All-Star Mile contender Urban Ruler could have two starts before the $5 million race at Flemington here he will be Queensland’s lone representative. He runs in Saturday’s Class Six Plate (1600m) at Doomben and trainer Chris Munce expects Urban Ruler to show improvement on his most recent start at Doomben… Read More »
Trainer Michael Bell has called time on popular stayer Big Orange’s career after an old injury flared up. Winner of the 2017 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in a thrilling battle with Order Of St George, Big Orange also won the Goodwood Cup twice and two Princess of Wales’s Stakes… Read More »
Trainer David Hayes has had mixed results with multiple gear changes on two Lindsay Park horses at Sandown. The alterations worked for Ronan’s Rock, successful in Wednesday’s Ladbrokes Plate, but did not have the desired effect with Conqueror who finished last in the Ladbrokes Enhanced Odds Handicap. Ronan’s Rock was… Read More »
Classique Legend’s impressive win on debut at Randwick has set him up for possible autumn carnival races before his likely transfer to Hong Kong. The three-year-old is raced by Boniface Ho who also owns Southern Legend, originally trained by Les Bridge and a Group One placegetter in Hong Kong for… Read More »
Trainer Tony McEvoy has built on an amazing month with a treble at Sandown to go with a four-timer at Morphettville. Rockarral, winner of tWednesday’s Ladbrokes Handicap, and Lake District Girl, successful in the Ladbrokes Cash In Handicap, were part of his quartet of winners at Morphettville on February 6…. Read More »
