Outstanding stayer Order Of St George has been retired days ahead of a planned tilt at a third Irish St Leger win. Part-owned by Australian Lloyd William, the six-year-old also won the Ascot Gold Cup at the Royal meeting in 2016. Trainer Aidan O’Brien has paid tribute to the horse… Read More »
Matthew McGrath is the new chairman of the Australian Turf Club with Julia Ritchie the new vice-chair. The ATC board held a special meeting on Tuesday after Laurie Macri last week announced his retirement as chairman. McGrath, who has been an ATC director since February 2015, paid tribute to Macri…. Read More »
The number of potential rivals to Winx in the Cox Plate has been reduced by more than half after first declarations. The eligible field for the Cox Plate has been reduced to 63 from 135 after Tuesday’s first acceptance stage for the $5 million Moonee Valley Cox Plate on October… Read More »
James McDonald will be back aboard Le Romain when he takes on champion Winx in the George Main Stakes at Randwick. McDonald rode the triple Group One winner when he was successful in last month’s Show County Quality with Hugh Bowman his rider when he was unplaced in the Tramway… Read More »
Perth stayer Pounamu will begin a spring campaign at Flemington which connections hope will lead to bigger spring riches. Pounamu arrived in Melbourne on Tuesday morning to contest Saturday’s Group One Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m). “That’s the plan, whether it’s a good plan, I don’t know,” trainer Alan Mathews said…. Read More »
Prince Of Caviar will race in blinkers in an attempt to break his maiden status at Bendigo. The second foal of unbeaten champion Black Caviar, Prince Of Caviar has finished fourth and second at his two racetrack appearances. Black Caviar’s first foal Oscietra was retired after five starts from which… Read More »
Leading Brisbane jockey Jim Byrne will be reunited with one of his favourite horses, Outback Barbie, in the Tea Rose Stakes at Randwick. Byrne won the Listed Calaway Gal Stakes on Outback Barbie and was aboard her when she copped the backwash of severe interference before finishing third in the… Read More »
Compiling the weights for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups has proven a challenge for Racing Victoria chief handicapper Greg Carpenter. Three-time Group One winner Humidor was on Tuesday given top weight of 58kg for both races after carrying 56kg last year when fifth in the Caulfield Cup 2018 and 19th… Read More »
Newcastle trainer Ben Smith’s spring carnival aspirations are in tatters following his suspension for refusing to give evidence and also giving false evidence to Racing NSW stewards in regard to sample irregularities. Smith is best known as the trainer of autumn Group One winners In Her Time, who is an… Read More »
Nature Strip has secured his place in The Everest and will run for the Australian Turf Club in the $13 million race at Randwick. The Darren Weir-trained sprinter has won eight of his 11 starts including Saturday’s Group Two McEwen Stakes, setting a Moonee Valley 1000m-record of 56.95 seconds. The… Read More »
The Darren Weir-trained triple Group One winner Humidor is the topweight with 58kg in both the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups. Humidor ran in both races last year, finishing fifth in the Caulfield Cup and 19th in the Melbourne Cup and will defend the Makybe Diva Stakes on Saturday. European contenders,… Read More »
Happy Clapper will have to carry an extra 2-1/2 kilograms in his defence of the Epsom Handicap with the eight-year-old topweight with 59.5kg for the Group One race. Since he won the 2017 Epsom (1600m) with 57kg, the Pat Webster-trained gelding has added the Group One Canterbury Stakes and Group… Read More »
Newcastle trainer Kris Lees is favouring keeping unbeaten Smart Melody against her own sex when the filly makes her Melbourne debut at Flemington. Lees has nominated Smart Melody for the Listed Cap D’Antibes (1100m) for three-year-old fillies on Saturday as well as the Group Two Danehill Stakes (1200m) which is… Read More »
Trainer David Payne will discuss options for Melbourne Cup-bound Ace High with owner John Cordina before committing the four-year-old to a start against Winx in the George Main Stakes. Winx has opened the $1.15 favourite with the TAB to win the Group One weight-for-age George Main (1600m) for a third… Read More »
While champion Winx will take centre stage at Randwick in the George Main Stakes, a host of other high profile horses are set to clash in the Group One Makybe Diva Stakes in Melbourne on the same day. Saturday’s $750,000 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington has attracted 17 nominations,… Read More »
Leading Golden Rose contender Zousain is being treated for an elevated temperature less than two weeks from the Group One race. The Chris Waller stable told Racing NSW stewards Zousain had a mildly elevated temperature on Monday morning and would be treated with antibiotics and monitored closely. He will have… Read More »
Defending champion Humidor headlines a star-studded list of 17 nominations for the Group One Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington. While champion Winx is the main attraction in Saturday’s Group One George Main Stakes at Randwick in Sydney, Humidor is one of 13 individual Group One winners among the nominations for… Read More »
Despite Godolphin ruling Kementari out of The Everest, the $13 million race remains an option for his stablemate Home Of The Brave after his convincing Theo Marks Stakes win. Home Of The Brave won the Group Two Theo Marks at Rosehill on Saturday at his second Australian start, beating D’Argento… Read More »
Champion Winx heads 22 entries for the George Main Stakes with her trainer Chris Waller nominating 14 of her stablemates in the 1600m-Group One race. Winx has won the race for the past two years and will be aiming for her 20th Group One victory. Le Romain, the second-highest rated… Read More »
Enable is reported to be in fine fettle after her winning return to action in the Group Three September Stakes at Kempton. Having been sidelined for much of the season with a knee injury, the John Gosden-trained four-year-old made was making first appearance since her win in the Prix de… Read More »
