The Sky Boy story is still only half-written with his Villiers Stakes win a stepping stone to much bigger targets including the 2019 Melbourne Cup. Trained by Anthony and Edward Cummings, Sky Boy lived up to his $3.20 favouritism to win his fifth successive race in Sydney’s summer showpiece, the… Read More »
Brilliant Brisbane three-year-old Zoustyle put his critics in their place with a brilliant all-the-way win in the Listed Gold Edition Plate at Doomben. Premier trainer Tony Gollan said he couldn’t remember enjoying a race so much after Zoustyle ($2.40) beat stablemate Outback Barbie ($3.50) by three-quarters of a length. Caloundra… Read More »
Almost three years after his last win, Fell Swoop has shown he still has a turn of foot to be reckoned with, leading most of the way to win the Listed Razor Sharp Handicap at Randwick. The Matt Dale-trained seven-year-old has earned $1.8 million in a career that has featured… Read More »
Darren Weir will turn his attention to stakes races with Declares War and Whispering Brook after the pair provided the trainer with a race-to-race double at Flemington. Declares War is a young horse on the move after again overcoming difficulty to record a winning hat-trick in Saturday’s VRC Schools Program… Read More »
Top Queensland mare Houtzen showed she was back to her best when she broke the course record for 1050m in winning the Listed Bribie Handicap at Doomben. The 2017 Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner, Houtzen was ridden from behind when second in a Doomben barrier trial last week. However, there… Read More »
Sydney’s leading trainer Chris Waller has welcomed his first winner by Brazen Beau, the colt he developed to become a stallion with two Group One wins and a second at Royal Ascot. Accession, the winner of Saturday’s $500,000 Inglis Nursery (1000m) at Randwick, is the second two-year-old winner so far… Read More »
Rockhampton filly Better Reflection continued the dream start to former top sprinter Better Than Ready’s stud career when she overcame difficulties to win the Listed Calaway Gal Stakes at Doomben. Better Reflection ($6) assured herself of a start in the $2 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic next month when she… Read More »
Our Century has turned the tables on Exoteric and confirmed a Sydney Cup plan with his victory in the Listed Christmas Cup at Randwick aided by a genuine race tempo. Second to Exoteric in the ATC Cup two weeks ago, Our Century showed his appreciation for the step up from… Read More »
Trainer Kelly Schweida had a warning for his Magic Millions 2YO Classic rivals after his colt The Odyssey assured himself of place in the big race with an all-the-way win at Doomben. The Odyssey ($4.60) made it two wins from three starts when he beat the favourite Sun City ($1.90)… Read More »
Warrnambool dairy farmer Peter Chow has trained his first winner at Flemington with Moor Wanted prevailing in a tight finish. In conjunction with running a dairy farm, Chow trains a team of eight horses, six of which are racing while also educating a couple of babies. “I milk cows and… Read More »
Trainer Gary Duncan’s gamble to turn his handy sprinter Magnufighter into a stayer paid off when the gelding won the Singapore Turf Club Trophy at Doomben. As a younger horse, Magnufighter raced in some top races over shorter trips but Duncan has always believed that middle-distance racing would be his… Read More »
Yes Yes Yes has moved into contention for a start in the rich Magic Millions 2YO Classic at the Gold Coast with victory up the straight at Flemington. An easing $4.80 favourite in Saturday’s SecondBite Plate, Yes Yes Yes showed the benefit of a recent Moonee Valley second placing when… Read More »
Sunshine Coast training partnership of John Symons and Sheila Laxon again showed their ability with veteran horses when I Feel Good caused a massive upset at Doomben. Symons and Laxon had only two runners at Doomben and both of them were 10 years old. I Feel Good ($71) belied his… Read More »
Winx has returned to her Rosehill stable as anticipation mounts for a likely autumn campaign. Trainer Chris Waller posted a picture of the champion on Twitter on Friday with a decision on her racing future expected next week. Since she won an unprecedented fourth Cox Plate in late October, Winx… Read More »
A quiet approach from trainer Pat Carey with Captain Rhett may be about to pay dividends with the stayer at Flemington. The five-year-old again steps up in distance on Saturday when he runs in the Make-A-Wish Australia Trophy over 2540m. It will be Captain Rhett’s first try at the trip… Read More »
Toowoomba trainer Ben Currie is to have a fourth charge involving a prohibited substance swab added to the three he is to answer at an inquiry. Queensland Racing Integrity Commission stewards informed Curre’s legal representative of the charge on Friday afternoon. Last month, QRIC told Currie he would face three… Read More »
Legendary retired English jockey Lester Piggott is recovering in hospital after undergoing surgery to have a pacemaker fitted. One of the sport’s all-time great figures, 83-year-old Piggott has been hospital since the beginning of this month. His daughter Maureen Haggas, wife of trainer William Haggas, confirmed a pacemaker had been… Read More »
An expected breakneck early pace will give quality sprinter Havasay a chance to win over the shortest sprint distance at Doomben. Saturday’s Listed Bribie Handicap (1050m) has attracted a field of eleven and at least five are regarded as horses who like to race on the speed. Havasay has had… Read More »
The Villiers Stakes has been a happy hunting ground for Queensland trainers in recent years, a trend Steven O’Dea is hoping to continue. O’Dea will saddle up Doubt Defying who will bid to become the third Queensland-trained winner of the Villiers (1600m) in the past five years, following in the… Read More »
Trainer Robert Heathcote will have one runner at Doomben but is hoping the predicted wet weather means it will be a winning one. Noted wet tracker No Annamossity, a three-quarter brother to the Heathcote-trained champion sprinter Buffering, contests Saturday’s Listed Lough Neagh Stakes (1350m). The track is likely to be… Read More »
