In most circumstances it would be a return to racing after an extended absence that would have the unwavering attention of the trainer and the owner. But these are exceptional times for Chris Waller and Debbie Kepitis and Chaussure will have to make a comeback without them at Randwick. Waller… Read More »
WINX IN THE COX PLATE * Three starts for three wins (2015, 2016, 2017) * One of only two horses, the other being Kingston Town (1980,81,82), to have won the race three times * Broke the Moonee Valley 2040m track record in her 2015 win, clocking 2:02.98 * Bettered her… Read More »
Chris Waller has said all there is to say about Winx in the long build-up to the mare’s historic fourth Cox Plate mission. Now it’s over to the champion herself to do the talking on the racetrack on Saturday at Moonee Valley. Winx has done that for 3-1/2 years during… Read More »
Victorian father-and-son training partners Lee and Shannon Hope have lost their appeal over cobalt disqualifications. A judge has found both trainers guilty of administering cobalt to affect the performance of three horses in 2014 races. Lee Hope was originally banned for three years and his son Shannon for five years… Read More »
Ron Quinton is one of the few people with an idea of what Hugh Bowman is feeling as he heads to Moonee Valley tasked with the most high-profile ride of his life. Bowman will ride Winx in Saturday’s Cox Plate as the mare bids for an unprecedented fourth win in… Read More »
David Hayes admits there is a twofold purpose in his decision to commit Ventura Storm to a seven-day back-up in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup. Ventura Storm sits 27th in the order of entry for the Melbourne Cup and a win with a likely penalty would be enough to secure… Read More »
Written By has pleased his trainer Grahame Begg in his first experience on the Flemington straight course, narrowly winning a jump-out in preparation for the Coolmore Stud Stakes. Begg took the Blue Diamond Stakes winner to Flemington on Friday morning and the colt narrowly won his 800m-heat against a classy… Read More »
The ringleaders behind a strike threatening to derail Queensland’s spring racing season have been invited to meet with the state’s deputy premier and racing minister. Saturday’s races at Brisbane’s Doomben, Gold Coast, Townsville and Toowoomba have been cancelled after trainers, owners, jockeys and breeders began striking over the way race… Read More »
Trainer Chris Waller is playing a waiting game with in-form stayer Patrick Erin. First emergency for last week’s Caulfield Cup, Patrick Erin needs a win to gain a Melbourne Cup berth. The last-start Group One Metropolitan winner is an acceptor for Moonee Valley as well as figuring in entries for… Read More »
Tasmanian trainer Adam Trinder is comfortable with the decision to bypass the Thousand Guineas with Mystic Journey in favour of the Fillies Classic at Moonee Valley. And he believes he can be rewarded on Saturday when the filly attempts to cap her campaign in the Group Two race. Mystic Journey… Read More »
As the countdown continues to Winx’s date with history, trainer Chris Waller has reaffirmed the champion is as well as he can have her. “She had an easy gallop this morning, basically at three-quarter pace before finishing off a little stronger in the straight and again everything is in order… Read More »
Brent Thomson gets a little extra spring in his step around Cox Plate time. Thomson rode four Cox Plate winners during the 1970s, making him one of the most sought-after jockeys in world racing as he eventually secured an overseas contract. In his time abroad one of the best horses… Read More »
English-based Irish jockey Oisin Murphy has won nine Group One races in five countries this year. But he might not be finished yet. The 23-year-old gets the chance to add Group One success in Australia at Moonee Valley this weekend. Murphy returns to Australian racing for the first time in… Read More »
New Zealand trainer Michael Pitman has been given the green light to leave his hospital bed and fly to Melbourne to watch Savvy Coup run in the Cox Plate 2018. Pitman had surgery in a Christchurch hospital for bowel cancer on Monday but is desperate to get to Moonee Valley… Read More »
James Cummings rates a Cox Plate appointment with Winx as the perfect way to finalise Avilius’ Melbourne Cup preparation. The Godolphin-owned galloper sits on the third line of Melbourne Cup betting at $13 behind Yucatan Ire ($5) with Best Solution and Magic Circle joint $11 second favourites. Avilius is unbeaten… Read More »
Star jockey Kerrin McEvoy continues to chase an elusive win in the 2018 Cox Plate. And unless there is a boilover at Moonee Valley on Saturday when he rides D’Argento in the $5 million race against champion stablemate Winx, McEvoy will have to wait for at least another year. “They… Read More »
Royal Celebration’s form says he has one win and four seconds from five starts which is frustrating for any trainer. And while Ron Quinton wants to see the colt win at Randwick on Saturday, he can now look at Royal Celebration’s runner-up finishes in a more forgiving light. At his… Read More »
Jockey John Allen will need one meeting shaved off a careless riding suspension to ride on Victoria Derby day. Allen was banned for eight meetings at Geelong on Wednesday which is due to begin after Saturday’s Cox Plate meeting at Moonee Valley. But he has an appeal hearing against the… Read More »
THE MANIKATO STAKES – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW * Group One, 1200m sprint, weight-for-age * Purse of $1 million makes it Australia’s richest thoroughbred race under lights FIELD * Magic Millions winner Sunlight and last season’s Randwick Guineas winner Kementari are vying for favouritism HISTORY * First held in… Read More »
U S Navy Flag has figured a practice session from the barriers in a bid to reignite the sprinter’s Australian campaign in the Group One Manikato Stakes. The Coolmore-backed Irish stable of champion trainer Aidan O’Brien will have four runners in the $1 million weight-for-age sprint. And travelling foreman TJ… Read More »
