Given the significant role Sons Of John has played in trainer Jason Attard’s career, it is no surprise the gelding has been given ample time to get over a tendon injury. The seven-year-old was the Hawkesbury-based Attard’s first Group One runner in the 2015 Epsom Handicap in which he ran… Read More »
Trainer Toby Edmonds is looking forward to what Sizzling Ace can do in a Group Two race before her high-profile stablemate Houtzen lines up in the Doomben 10,000. Edmonds will have Sizzling Ace in Saturday’s Champagne Classic (1200m) a race which has been the launching pad for some top class… Read More »
It can take a trainer a preparation or two to work out the best distance range of their horses. Cranbourne trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young weren’t sure what Wassergeist’s best trip was after six attempts in his first campaign. But after an impressive first-up Pakenham win they’re convinced a… Read More »
The back-up plan has come into play for young trainer Nick Ryan and Mahamedeis who runs at Caulfield. Ryan had hoped to be in Brisbane running Queensland Derby hope Mahamedeis in the Rough Habit Plate at Doomben on Saturday. A minor setback last week has resulted in the gelding staying… Read More »
News that picture perfect weather had returned to Brisbane has boosted Godolphin’s head trainer James Cummings’s confidence Impending can win the Group One Doomben 10,000. Solid rain fell in Brisbane early in the week and the Doomben track was rated a heavy 8 on Wednesday morning. The fine weather returned… Read More »
Top sprinter Redzel can etch his name in the record books in the Doomben 10,000 but that is secondary to his trainers, the Snowden partnership. Peter Snowden can move into outright second place for all-time winning Doomben 10,000 trainers if favourite Redzel can in his third Group One race on… Read More »
Triple Group One winner Gailo Chop’s racing future is in doubt with the seven-year-old re-injuring a tendon. The original injury kept him off the scene for 18 months in 2016/17. He had been the favourite for the Group 1 Doomben Cup on Saturday week with the Anthony Freedman-trained Ambitious now leading… Read More »
Rostropovich and Idaho have given champion trainer Aidan O’Brien a big-race double at the Chester festival. Courtesy of his impressive win in the Listed Dee Stakes, Rostropovich is now in the mix for the Derby while globe-trotting Idaho bounded clear to win the Group Three Ormonde Stakes in fine style…. Read More »
Racing Victoria chief executive Giles Thompson says the handing down of disqualifications to the Aquanita Eight sends a strong message to the small minority who think they can undermine the integrity of racing. Life disqualifications were handed to former trainer Robert Smerdon along with former stable employees Greg and Denise… Read More »
The decision to ride filly Another Dollar back in the field has opened the door for a fascinating battle of tactics in the Group Two The Roses (2000m) at Doomben. Another Dollar was second to Torvill in the Listed Aquis Bracelet at Doomben two weeks ago after being caught deep… Read More »
Brisbane trainer Liam Birchley’s one-year disqualification for his part in the Aquanita case will be enforced immediately in Queensland. Birchley had been able to train and nominate horses in Queensland after being charged with over being a party to a race day treatment. He has been unable to nominate horses… Read More »
Former trainer Robert Smerdon has been disqualified for life along with his ex-employees Greg and Denise Nelligan after being found guilty in the Aquanita race day treatments case. Judge John Bowman handed down the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board penalties on Thursday with the three among eight people disqualified. Trainer… Read More »
Brad Widdup has moved Dissolution back into his comfort zone after he faltered when stepping up in distance for the Group Three Frank Packer Plate. The Hawkesbury trainer conceded he had erred in pushing the three-year-old gelding out to 2000m last month at Randwick where he over-raced before finishing six… Read More »
AQUANITA EIGHT BANNED OVER BIGGEST SCANDAL IN AUSTRALIAN RACING HISTORY WHAT DID THEY DO? Five trainers and three stable employees, all connected to management company Aquanita Racing, administered race day treatments or “top-ups” of bi-carb and tripart paste tp horses for more than 100 races over seven years. Sodium bicarbonate… Read More »
Kingsguard has helped lift Sydney’s premiership-leading jockey from an autumn carnival slump and now Brenton Avdulla is planning on more success with the gelding. The five-year-old secured a double for Avdulla at last month’s stand-alone meeting by complementing stablemate Glenall’s win in the Listed Hawkesbury Gold Rush with victory in… Read More »
The Australian Turf Club has begun the process to select its representative for the $13 million Everest. In the inaugural running last year, Brave Smash ran for the club and performed with distinction, finishing third to Redzel who will run this year for Yulong Investments. The ATC says it will… Read More »
Former English stayer Goathland can further enhance the reputation of horses sold out of the Lloyd Williams operation with a stakes win at Doomben. Goathland won at Bath in England before being bought by Williams as a possible Cups horse two years ago. He won a race at Flemington last… Read More »
Trainer John Pascoe is not concerned about the prospects of some horrific weather arriving before the Caulfield race meeting. More worrying for Pascoe is how Vainstream will handle the trip from his Moe stable. Pascoe has the lightly raced three-year-old engaged in Saturday’s The Sheen Panel Service Handicap, the second… Read More »
Godolphin head trainer James Cummings has introduced a gear change designed to help Ghisoni when she runs in the Group Three Dark Jewel Classic at Scone. The five-year-old races with blinkers for the first time in Saturday’s 1400m-feature for fillies and mares in her attempt to improve on a close… Read More »
Counsel for Racing Victoria stewards has called for life bans for three of the offenders in the Aquanita case. In handing down his submission on penalty to the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board on Thursday, Jeff Gleeson asked that trainer Robert Smerdon be disqualified for life and also fined $100,000… Read More »
