International jockey William Buick has made his mark with his first ride at this year’s Melbourne spring carnival at Flemington. One of Godolphin’s European jockeys, Buick steered the locally trained Godolphin filly Pohutukawa to a last-to-first victory in Tuesday’s Listed Jim Beam Black Stakes for three-year-old fillies on the undercard… Read More »
Yucatan has reclaimed his spot at the top of the Melbourne Cup market with the Flemington track upgraded to soft after a couple of hours of dry weather. Around 50mm fell on Tuesday morning with the early races run in driving rain on heavy ground. Magic Of Circle firmed to… Read More »
Sydneysiders bloomed in their spring carnival best as they celebrated Melbourne Cup day at Randwick with a seven-race meet. As rain and wild weather lashed crowds at Flemington on Tuesday thousands of well-heeled punters headed to Randwick to watch a live broadcast of the cup on the venue’s big screens…. Read More »
On the sixth anniversary of his Melbourne Cup win on Green Moon, Brett Prebble has celebrated a victory on the undercard at Flemington. Prebble has returned to Australia after 15 years in Hong Kong to be closer to his family and Legend Of Condor, his first winner since coming back,… Read More »
James Cummings had a tear in his eye at Flemington, but it had nothing to do with the prospect of carrying on his family’s Melbourne Cup tradition. Cummings felt sorry for all the racegoers who were drenched as soon as they arrived at the racecourse. “It brought a tear to… Read More »
Chris Waller-trained import Shraaoh has won a staying test at his Australian debut on a rain-sodden Flemington. The Irish-bred outstayed his rivals to claim Tuesday’s Ronald McDonald House Charities Plate over 2800m. Ridden by Kerrin McEvoy, Shraaoh ($6) ran out a 1-3/4 length winner over the $5 favourite Steel Prince… Read More »
In the week his soon-to-be-retired father Luca trained a Group One winner in Italy, Matt Cumani has celebrated a win on the undercard to Australia’s most famous race at Flemington. Cumani began his own training career at Ballarat in Victoria in 2015 and Tuesday’s fighting victory by four-year-old mare One… Read More »
Rain has eased at Flemington but the track is still expected to be heavy for the Melbourne Cup after 46mm since 7.30am. Noted wet-tracker Magic Circle is now the $7 equal favourite for the Cup with Yucatan who has eased from $5.50. Stewards delayed the second and third races onTuesday… Read More »
After winning the Breeders’ Plate with two-year-old colt Dubious earlier in the season, the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace stable has struck again with another nice juvenile in the Bumble Stakes for fillies at Flemington. In a race run in driving rain to open the Melbourne Cup day program on… Read More »
Heavy rain has fallen at Flemington with jockeys in the first race on Melbourne Cup day saying visibility is a problem. The second race has had to be delayed while officials wait for the weather to clear slightly. Tuesday’s Cup will be run at 3pm and with the track in… Read More »
Rain and thunderstorms are expected to clear by the time the Melbourne Cup is run. The track is rated in the good range but could become soft by Cup time at 3pm on Tuesday. There have been no morning scratchings from the Cup with all 24 horses scheduled to line… Read More »
The only sure bet on the 2018 Melbourne Cup is that Lloyd Williams, or anyone else for that matter, won’t be taking on “crazy owner” Dr Marwan Koukash’s promise to accept the trophy in his G-string. Mr Williams is out to add a seventh Cup to his already record haul…. Read More »
What connections have to say about the 24 horses who will line up in the $7.3 million Melbourne Cup on Tuesday: 1: Best Solution (Trainer Saeed bin Suroor) Jockey Pat Cosgrave “He is the right horse for the Melbourne Cup. He is very fit and he has held his form… Read More »
James McDonald has rebounded from an 18-month disqualification in the style that first brought him to the attention of the racing public in his native New Zealand. McDonald was a two-time Sydney premiership winner, had a Golden Slipper trophy to show off and was the main rider for Godolphin before… Read More »
The Flemington track will get 5mm of irrigation in the hours before the Melbourne Cup. There has been criticism the track is too firm but Flemington officials say the decision to put water on the track is because of a changed weather forecast not in response to outside influence. The… Read More »
As an Australian born into racing, the Melbourne Cup is a race Craig Williams has always dreamed about. It has so far eluded the champion jockey but Williams get another chance on Tuesday to get his name on the honour roll when he rides the only mare in this year’s… Read More »
LLOYD WILLIAMS MELBOURNE CUP Lloyd Williams is the most successful owner in the history of the Melbourne Cup with six winners and he has the favourite Yucatan this year. Williams is also among the owners of The Cliffsofmoher. His most recent winner Rekindling was prepared by Irish trainer by Joseph… Read More »
The name Lee Freedman appears on five Melbourne Cups and now Richard Freedman has a chance, albeit an outside one, to emulate his brother. The eldest of four brothers who worked together for many years under the FBI banner, Lee Freedman has won the Cup with Tawriffic (1989), Subzero (1992),… Read More »
UK trainer John Gosden has enjoyed a cracker of a season which can be enhanced if Muntahaa wins the Melbourne Cup. Big race wins have been recorded by Stradivarius, Cracksman and more recently Enable at the weekend’s Breeders Cup Turf at Churchill Downs. Gosden won’t be at Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup… Read More »
His great-grandfather Jim trained a Melbourne Cup winner. His grandfather Bart won a record 12 Cups to become known as ‘the Cups King’. On Tuesday, James Cummings will saddle up Avilius, one of the main chances in this year’s Melbourne Cup, with the opportunity to add to his family’s rich… Read More »
