Three recent winners in the northern hemisphere have been given weight penalties for the Melbourne Cup 2018. The Aidan O’Brien-trained Kew Gardens has been penalised 1kg for his win in the Group One English St Leger at Doncaster over the weekend, taking the northern-hemisphere three-year-old to 54kg and also top… Read More »
A barnstorming finish by stablemate Santa Ana Lane denied Mr Sneaky a Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes victory a year ago but the sprinter is ready for another crack at the Group One handicap. The Anthony Freedman-trained gelding will run in Saturday’s Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield at the… Read More »
Trainer Brad Widdup has put Sandbar’s last-start fifth behind him and expects the colt be at his best in the $1 million Golden Rose. Sandbar won the Listed Rosebud on August 11 but performed below expectations four weeks later in the Run To The Rose won by Lean Mean Machine… Read More »
An impressive barrier trial at Cranbourne has Viddora on track for the Group One Moir Stakes. Viddora was beaten in a photo finish by She Will Reign in last year’s Moir Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley and trainer Lloyd Kennewell has targeted the weight-for-age sprint on Friday week as her… Read More »
Trainer Gerald Ryan has taken the honours with three winners at the official two-year-old barrier trials at Randwick, all for Sun Stud. Three colts, King’s Champ, Fortress Command and Covert Ops, all won their 849m-heats with the latter streaking away by eight lengths. The fast time of Monday morning went… Read More »
Everest contender In Her Time has been cleared to race but her stablemate El Dorado Dreaming is still sidelined pending analysis of a sample taken from the filly. The two horses were among six tested last Tuesday when Racing NSW stewards inspected Ben Smith’s Newcastle stable after being notified of… Read More »
If Winx makes history and wins her fourth Cox Plate next month punters will be toasting with a brew made in her honour. Limited edition Carlton Draught cans featuring Winx’s name and colours were launched by The Horses singer Daryl Braithwaite at Carlton Draught’s Abbotsford Brewery in Melbourne on Monday…. Read More »
Grahame Begg has been biding his time early in the spring but the trainer is ready to unleash his stable star Written By at Caulfield. This year’s Group One Blue Diamond Stakes winner is set to make his highly anticipated season return in Saturday’s Super Vobis Three-year-old Plate (1000m) on… Read More »
The Group One Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes will have an international presence with northern hemisphere visitor Jungle Cat headlining the nominations. The Charlie Appleby-trained Jungle Cat won the Group One Al Quoz Sprint in Dubai at his most recent start in March and he is the highest-rated entry among the… Read More »
After discussions with jockey Damien Oliver and Grunt’s owners, trainer Mick Price plans to keep the Makybe Diva Stakes winner to a weight-for-age program this spring. Price had considered aiming Grunt at the Cups after Saturday’s Group One win at Flemington but the trainer confirmed on RSN927 on Monday the… Read More »
Melbourne Cup entrant Flag Of Honour has given trainer Aidan O’Brien and jockey Ryan Moore a second St Leger win in two days, leading all the way to win the Irish version at the Curragh. His victory came 24 hours after Kew Gardens won the English Classic at Doncaster. Flag… Read More »
Consistent gelding Crack Me Up has been named Queensland’s Horse of the Year for the 2017/18 racing season. In a close vote, Crack Me Up became one of the few horses to win the title without having won a Group One race. However, there are few more consistent horses than… Read More »
In a change of plans, Shoals will join stablemate Santa Ana Lane in the Premiere Stakes as a final lead-up to The Everest. Trainer Anthony Freedman has opted to send the triple Group One winning mare to Sydney for the Premiere Stakes on September 29 rather than run her in… Read More »
Kris Lees-trained stablemates Smart Melody and Miss Fabulass have emerged from midweek wins to favouritism for separate Group One fillies’ races. Smart Melody’s win in the Listed Cap D’Antibes at Flemington on Saturday has her at $3.50 for the Thousand Guineas at Caulfield on October 13 while the regally bred… Read More »
The Queensland summer carnival will again carry more than $15 million prize money and about $1.5 million in bonus opportunities. The carnival is set to start with the Listed Keith Noud Quality meeting at Doomben on November 17 and will finish with the Listed Sunshine Coast Cup meeting at Caloundra… Read More »
David Hayes is hoping the addition of blinkers and a dry track will bring out the best in Long Leaf in the Golden Rose at Rosehill. Long Leaf will be Lindsay Park’s sole representative in the Group One race over 1400m for three-year-olds on Saturday. After running on strongly over… Read More »
Gai Waterhouse says Japanese-bred stayer Hush Writer is heading in the right direction after a pleasing second in a staying test at Flemington. Hush Writer made his Australian debut at Moonee Valley on September 8 and raced like a ‘dill’ according to Waterhouse when ninth in a 2020m-race won by… Read More »
Two of Queensland’s best spring carnival hopes will trial in Victoria this week as they prepare for their next assignments. Multiple stakes winner Savanna Amour and three-year-old Asharani are listed to trial in separate 990m-heats at Cranbourne on Monday. Queensland stewards ordered Asharani back to the trials after she was… Read More »
Queensland racing officials have been conducting tours of the newly laid Eagle Farm racetrack and are hopeful a horse can gallop on the track before the end of the year. Eagle Farm was closed in May last year to undergo remedial work after originally being shut for two years for… Read More »
Melbourne Cup entrant Kew Gardens has lowered the colours of the previously unbeaten Lah Ti Dar Tin the St Leger at Doncaster. Kew Gardens’ victory on Saturday (Sunday AEST) gave champion trainer Aidan O’Brien his sixth victory in the world’s oldest Classic. Having made a spectacular return at York last… Read More »
