Trainer Darren Weir says a change in training environment has brought out the best in Flemington winner Top Prospect. One of three runners for the champion trainer in Saturday’s Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Plate, Top Prospect had support in betting before scoring a strong win. Ridden by Craig Williams, Top… Read More »
Royal Celebration has confirmed his status as a future star with his second consecutive victory after a sequence of seconds behind a couple of promising three-year-olds and one star. Trained by the astute Ron Quinton, Royal Celebration ($2.15 favourite) was taken back early behind the speed set by Baller and… Read More »
Mike Moroney is happy to have got it wrong after Loyalty Man prevailed in a photo finish to the opening race on the final day of the Melbourne Cup carnival at Flemington. The Moroney-trained Loyalty Man ($7), having his third start back after a year off the scene, held on… Read More »
David Vandyke will raise the bar with Foxy Housewife after her stylish first-up win at the Sunshine Coast. Having her first start since July, Foxy Housewife ($3.50) was too strong for the $2.20 favourite Prue’s Angel scoring by a neck with rank outsider Machu Picchu ($51) 1-3/4 lengths away third…. Read More »
Stop work action by race day officials has been averted on the final day of the Melbourne Cup carnival at Flemington. The Australian Workers Union, which represents some race day attendants, had threatened to take action amid stalled negotiations with Racing Victoria over a new enterprise bargaining agreement. The AWU… Read More »
Jockey Regan Bayliss believes a decision to bypass the Carbine Club Stakes with lightly raced three-year-old Yulong January can reap a reward in a Listed race at Flemington. Yulong January has won three of his four starts with his only defeat a second to Ranier in the Listed Gothic Stakes… Read More »
Chris Waller is concerned about second-up syndrome with Chaussure but the trainer cannot help but be delighted with his return from almost two years on the sidelines. Chaussure came within a half length of winning over 1400m at Randwick two weeks ago but had to settle for fourth. His jockey… Read More »
Peter Snowden has delivered an ominous warning ahead of Redzel’s VRC Sprint Classic defence, confident the star sprinter is the horse to beat in the $1 million race and every bit as well as before his recent Everest triumph. Redzel won The Everest/VRC Sprint Classic double last spring and his… Read More »
Hugh Bowman is appealing the severity of a one-month suspension incurred for three charges stemming from his ride on Melbourne Cup runner-up Marmelo. Bowman was charged with careless riding at the 500m mark of Tuesday’s Cup as well as using the whip seven times more than allowed before the 100m… Read More »
A spring campaign which has promised plenty for Kementari is yet to deliver a big-race win. But trainer James Cummings retains faith the high profile sprinter-miler’s preparation can end on a high note in Saturday’s $1 million Group One VRC Sprint Classic at Flemington. Last season’s Group One Randwick Guineas… Read More »
Dual Oaks placegetter Sheezdashing could cap a memorable Melbourne Cup carnival for the Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra stable in the Group Two Matriarch Stakes. Sheezdashing runs in Saturday’s Matriarch (2000m) for mares and will be out to add to the wins of stablemate Aristia who claimed the Group Two… Read More »
Cracksman has joined Winx at the top of the world rankings following his dominant win in the Champion Stakes at Ascot, his final racetrack appearance. Trained by John Gosden, Cracksman rose five points after his six-length victory over Crystal Ocean last month to 130. Winx remains on 130 after beating… Read More »
Armed with an enviable Flemington record, Shillelagh will venture into uncharted territory when she bids for a Melbourne Cup carnival Group One double in the Mackinnon Stakes. For the second year in a row the Chris Waller-trained mare raced to an impressive Group One win on the Victoria Derby day… Read More »
Sky Boy represents a link to the past for Anthony Cummings but the trainer is hoping the horse can also be a foundation for the stable’s future. The four-year-old was owned by the late Dato Tan Chin Nam who won four Melbourne Cups with Cummings’ father Bart and was a… Read More »
Matt Dunn has been given the task of teaching an old dog new tricks with the addition of former Victorian Petrology to his stable. The seven-year-old will make his debut for Dunn in the Caloundra Automotive Open Handicap (1400m) at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday, his first attempt at racing… Read More »
For jockey Michelle Payne, coming third on a horse owned and trained by her dad Paddy was almost as big a thrill as winning the $1 million VRC Oaks. There was no repeat of Michelle’s fairytale win in the Melbourne Cup three years ago but dad, daughter and the many… Read More »
Simon Zahra says Aristia’s VRC Oaks win might turn out to be a defining moment in a training partnership with his cousin Mathew Ellerton. Zahra couldn’t hide his delight at landing a first major staying victory in the three-year-old fillies Classic at Flemington on Thursday. “Getting a staying Group One… Read More »
After missing a start in the Victoria Derby, Vow And Declare has scored a consolation win for connections at Flemington. The Danny O’Brien-trained three-year-old won the Listed TCL TV Stakes on Thursday, collecting a $90,000 cheque. Backed from $26 into $17, Vow And Declare, under strong riding from Damien Oliver,… Read More »
Darren Weir has praised jockey Craig Williams after Thermal Current make a long overdue return to winning form at Flemington. Williams produced Thermal Current on the outside rail of the straight 1000m sprint to claim Thursday’s Absolut Stakes. A drifter in the betting, Thermal Current ($41) arrived in time to… Read More »
As a child, Alexander Rae loved to join his great-grandmother for a day at the Flemington races. The 23-year-old returned on Thursday with his first Flemington runner and left with the biggest win of his short training career on one of the biggest days in Australian racing. “It’s a massive… Read More »
