Matthew Allen has ridden a winner at Bairnsdale at his first ride back after a year out of the saddle. Allen partnered the odds-on favourite Halvorsen to victory in Friday’s Bairnsdale Sporting & Convention Centre Handicap for trainer Robbie Griffiths. The jockey took a sabbatical from race riding after finishing… Read More »
Alizee is obviously the class horse in the Christmas Classic at Randwick but Fell Swoop’s trainer Matt Dale is not conceding the Listed race. Although Fell Swoop has not won a Group One race and Godolphin’s Alizee has two, the Dale-trained gelding has performed at the highest level for most… Read More »
Well-bred filly Hills is set to race three weeks in a row in a quest for the Magic Millions 2YO Classic after making an impressive debut at Ipswich. Hills was a little tardy at the start but finished too well to win a two-year-old handicap over 1050m on Friday. It… Read More »
Trainer Aaron Purcell says he will be disappointed if he can’t win a flat race with new jumping prospect Double Bluff. However Purcell doubts that will come as early as Saturday’s Events @ The Valley Handicap with the trainer believing the 2040m may be too short. Purcell is eyeing a… Read More »
Trainer Toby Edmonds has shown his faith in promising three-year-old Viral by putting him in stakes company at his fifth start. Viral is not eligible for the Magic Millions but he is still on a definite mission in Saturday’s Group Three Vo Rogue Plate (1350m) at Doomben. Viral has won… Read More »
In-form jockey Robbie Fradd will have a rare ride for trainer Ben Currie on former French galloper Kay Kay Boy at Doomben. Kay Kay Boy will join other Currie-trained runners Cantbuybetter, to be ridden by Brett Prebble, and Honey Toast, with Jeff Lloyd on board, in Saturday’s Listed Bernborough Handicap… Read More »
Flemington training partners Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra know the value of big race wins during the spring and autumn carnivals. They also realise the off-season is as important. During the spring Aristia gave them success in the VRC Oaks while they will shoot for a fifth straight Saturday win… Read More »
War horse Outraged will take another step at Doomben in a carefully mapped out plan to avenge his defeat in the last Magic Millions Trophy. Outraged will step up to 2200m for the first time since a break in Saturday’s Shoot Out Quality. It will be his final hit-out before… Read More »
Altior has cruised to victory in the Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton Park to extend his winning sequence over jumps to 16. After defeats for high-profile stablemates Buveur D’Air and Might Bite 24 hours earlier, trainer Nicky Henderson was able to breathe a huge sigh of relief as the 1-8… Read More »
Trainer Gerald Ryan is under no illusions about the task facing Problem Solver in the Listed Christmas Classic at Randwick where she will take on dual Group One winner Alizee. But the Listed 1200m-sprint is a vital part of Problem Solver’s preparation for a return to the Gold Coast for… Read More »
A solid barrier trial has noted fresh horse Skytrek ready to cause an upset in the Bernborough Handicap at Doomben on his way to another visit to the Magic Millions carnival. Skytrek is best known as a stayer and will be having his first start since the Queens Cup over… Read More »
Trainer Grahame Begg hopes to get a guide on the autumn prospects of stable newcomer Beauty Way when the gelding runs at Moonee Valley. The much travelled six-year-old runs for the second time for Begg in Saturday’s Events @ The Valley Handicap with the trainer thinking long-term of Sydney’s rich… Read More »
There are fears jockey Tye Angland may be left a quadriplegic from injuries suffered in a race fall in Hong Kong. The Australian Jockeys’ Association issued a statement on Thursday on behalf of the jockey and his family detailing the extent of the injuries Angland suffered on November 25 when… Read More »
Trainer Robert Heathcote has some decisions to make after his three runners in Doomben feature races drew wide barriers. Femme Fireball (17) and Stella Victoria (16) were expected to be main players in Saturday’s Listed Nudgee Stakes (1200m) while No Annamossity drew barrier 15 in the Listed Bernborough Handicap. “I… Read More »
Trainer Ryan Balfour is frustrated with the direction Adelaide racing is heading and hopeful the state government can turn it around by delivering funds it collects from a newly introduced point of consumption tax. Last week South Australia’s peak racing body, Thoroughbred Racing SA, announced cuts to both infrastructure funding… Read More »
Talented sprinter Victorem can take trainer Jenny Graham to within sight of having her first million dollar earner if he wins the Buffering Quality at Doomben. The $87,000 first prize for the Buffering would take Victorem’s total to $892,000 but there are even bigger prizes on offer for the gelding…. Read More »
Promising two-year-old Lubuk couldn’t have a better credentialled fan than multiple Group One-winning jockey Larry Cassidy. The Chris Waller-trained Lubuk provided the run of the race at his first start when fourth in the Listed Phelan Ready Stakes at Doomben two weeks ago. Lubuk was run off his feet early… Read More »
Verdana Blue has ended the long unbeaten run of dual champion hurdler Buveur D’Air in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton with her owners eyeing a return to the flat and a start in the Melbourne Cup. Both Verdana Blue and Buveur D’Air are trained by Nicky Henderson, and they had… Read More »
A surprise trip home for Christmas has landed Adelaide-based Chris Caserta a double at Caulfield with the apprentice winning two races for Darren Weir. Caserta topped and tailed Wednesday’s meeting winning the Alan Wicks Handicap aboard betting ring drifter Twitchy Frank then ending the day on Silentz in the Ladbrokes… Read More »
Fierce Impact has claimed an important milestone for his future with victory in the Group Three Summer Cup at Randwick. An entire son of Japanese champion Deep Impact, the five-year-old did his early racing in England with the Derby in mind. He failed to get to that level and was… Read More »
