Zac Purton has strengthened his grip on the Hong Kong jockeys’ premiership with a double at Happy Valley. Purton’s two wins on Wednesday night takes him to 135 for the season with defending champion Joao Moreira claiming one Happy Valley win to go into Sunday’s final meeting of the season… Read More »
Jockeys Ben Looker, Josh Adams and Jake Hull have been taken to hospital after a three-horse fall at Grafton. Looker was concussed and complaining of a sore right thigh while Adams was treated for a cut on his chin and a slight conussion. Chief steward Mark Holloway said Hull, who… Read More »
Trainer David Payne has continued his success with late season two-year-olds with Tarka winning at Warwick Farm. The colt appreciated the 1600 metres of Wednesday’s juvenile race to beat Salsa Man ($8.50) by 1-3/4 lengths and defy a betting drift from $2.90 to $5.50. Favourite Task And Purpose ($2.10) finished… Read More »
Champion jockey Jeff Lloyd has made a successful return to Queensland after a trip to his native South Africa. Lloyd who has already sewn up his third-straight Queensland metropolitan title had not ridden in Australia since the Tatt’s Tiara meeting at Doomben on June 23. He did ride at a… Read More »
Gold Mag has signalled he is destined for a bright future after backing up an impressive maiden win in the country with a stunning victory in his city debut at Sandown. With champion jockey Craig Williams aboard, Gold Mag settled midfield in Wednesday’s Le Pine Funerals Handicap (1200m) for three-year-olds… Read More »
Havasay has won the Listed Ramornie Handicap at Grafton for trainer Toby Edmonds who has deflected praise for his win to Liam Birchley. Gold Coast-based Edmonds took over training Havasay when Birchley was disqualified in the Aquanita race day treatment affair with the horse returning to Birchley at Eagle Farm… Read More »
Stewards have set a mid-August date to resume an inquiry into the charges against Toowoomba trainer Ben Currie. Queensland Racing Integrity Commission Commissioner Ross Barnett said the inquiry would resume on August 13. Barnett also took the opportunity to clarify what had happened with prize money earned by Currie’s horses… Read More »
Tommy Berry will make a flying visit from Hong Kong to Melbourne to ride Chautauqua in an all-important jump-out at Flemington. Friday’s trial will be career-defining for the multiple Group One-winning sprinter who needs to prove he still has the will to race after refusing four times to go through… Read More »
Dour Sydney stayer Plot Twist is likely to get the right soft conditions to help him maintain his unbeaten record at 3200 metres in the Group Three Queen’s Cup at Caloundra. The Sunshine Coast track was rated a soft seven on Wednesday with showers predicted and no drying weather leading… Read More »
John Allen has made the most of a pick-up ride on the Darren Weir-trained Social Spin, guiding the lightly raced two-year-old gelding to an all-the-way win at Sandown. Brad Rawiller was booked to ride Social Spin in Wednesday’s Ladbrokes Protest Payout Handicap (1400m) but Allen got the call up on… Read More »
Queensland thoroughbred officials see no reason to join with harness racing and repeal the rule advising of changes to race tactics. Racing Queensland and the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission have repealed the harness driving tactics rule from this week. QRIC commissioner Ross Barnett said the change fell into line with… Read More »
Group One-winning sprinter and successful sire Strategic has died at his birthplace Woodlands Stud aged 25. Godolphin said Strategic succumbed to the infirmities of old age. Strategic won seven races including the 1996 Group One Australia Stakes for Jack and Bob Ingham, the former proprietors of Woodlands. He began stud… Read More »
Chautauqua is scheduled to have a jump-out at Flemington this week, the first step in getting the champion sprinter reinstated to race. The multiple Group One winner refused to jump from the barriers on four separate occasions in trials in February and March before being turned out for a spell… Read More »
Outgoing Victorian chief steward Terry Bailey believes racing is cleaner than years gone by but says penalties for treating horses on race day still need to be tougher. Bailey announced last month he had resigned to take up the role of chief steward in Singapore from August after 13 years… Read More »
Prominent racing administrator and owner Noel Bracks has died aged 85. A Sydney solicitor, Bracks was a vice-chairman of the Australian Jockey Club before its merger with the Sydney Turf Club to form the Australian Turf Club. He was also a past president and life member of the NSW Racehorse… Read More »
Connections of multiple Group One winner Redkirk Warrior are putting the disappointment of Royal Ascot behind them and are happy to give the sprinter another chance to show his best in England in the July Cup. Redkirk Warrior was well beaten in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot last… Read More »
Striking grey Albumin will be aiming for his third consecutive win and first over 1200 metres when he lines up on his home track at Rosehill. Trainer Gerald Ryan considered taking him to Grafton for Wednesday’s Listed Ramornie Handicap but decided against the road trip and the three-year-old will instead… Read More »
Trainer Dan McCarthy has opted to keep Ashlor to shorter distances for the time being, with the Group Three Sir John Monash Stakes the gelding’s next target. Ashlor carried 63kg to victory last Saturday week in a 1200m-benchmark race at Caulfield and McCarthy flagged his intention to stretch the four-year-old… Read More »
David Payne will send out three two-year-olds in the same race at Warwick Farm, not by choice. Wednesday’s 1600m-race is the only one he can find to test the stable’s late season youngster’s over a distance so Tarka, Commentator and Reagan will take their places. A champion trainer in his… Read More »
Tasmanian trainer Adam Trinder is keen to assess two-year-old filly Mystic Journey in a winter race at Caulfield ahead of a potential stakes race early in the new season. Mystic Journey has won three of her four starts in Tasmania, setting an 1100m-track record at Launceston at her second start…. Read More »
