Nic’s Vendetta has graduated from the Highway Handicap series with a victory that edges apprentice Mikayla Weir to outriding her country claim. The five-year-old gelding gave Weir her first city winner in a Highway Handicap at Warwick Farm last July, and the pair combined again at Randwick to upset $2.90… Read More »
Premier Sydney trainer Chris Waller continued his domination of Brisbane middle distance races when he again provided the trifecta in the Open Handicap (2200m) at Doomben. Jockey Jeff Lloyd was able to dictate the pace with Xebec ($2.90) leading all of the way to beat Exoteric ($3.90) by 1-1/4 lengths… Read More »
Champion jockey Ruby Walsh has failed in his bid to be fit for Ireland’s showcase Punchestown Festival. Walsh’s had hoped to be given the all-clear for next week’s five-day meeting but results from an X-ray on his right leg he fractured at Cheltenham last month showed it had not yet… Read More »
Archie Alexander is anxious to see if So Far Sokool has the capacity to surprise him again after her win in the Bendigo Guineas earned the filly a trip to the Sydney autumn carnival. The Ballarat trainer believes she has earned her way to Randwick for the Group Three JHB… Read More »
Toowoomba trainer Mark Currie has been suspended after Queensland Racing Integrity Commission stewards charged him with 16 counts relating to race day treatment. Currie is a licensed trainer but often works as stable foreman for his son Ben who is the state’s leading trainer on winners. Stewards interviewed Mark and… Read More »
Kris Lees has run the rule over Le Romain’s rivals for the All Aged Stakes and has no doubt the triple Group One winner faces a tougher task this autumn. But Newcastle’s leading trainer believes Le Romain is also better equipped to improve on last year’s second to Tivaci with… Read More »
Champion Winx has headed for some well-earned paddock rest following her second victory in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes. The mare had three runs during the autumn for three Group One wins to take her tally to 18, a recognised world record. She also stretched her winning streak to 25 in… Read More »
Corey Brown hopes a faster tempo will help Irukandji back up stallion Dundeel’s first stakes win with a maiden Group One victory in the Champagne Stakes. The dual Melbourne Cup-winning jockey got Irukandji home the hard way in the Group Three Schweppervescence (1400m) at Rosehill last month after the precocious… Read More »
Rejuvenated veteran Charlie Boy can earn himself another chance at the winter carnival when he resumes at Doomben. Charlie Boy was a regular in the winter carnival when trained in Sydney by Peter and Paul Snowden. His six carnival starts for the Snowdens in 2015 and 2016 yielded a win… Read More »
Trrainer Clarry Conners is dreaming big with Bolero King, with the Stradbroke Handicap heading his wish list for the lightly raced gelding. The five-year-old, who has overcome a tendon issue, can take a step towards Queensland with an authoritative run in the Group Three Hall Mark Stakes (1200m) at Randwick…. Read More »
Trainer Tony McEvoy is hoping a gelding operation will transform Calderon into the horse he bought with a Cox Plate in mind. Formerly trained by Richard Hannon in England, Calderon also needed a name change from Steel Of Madrid because there was already a horse called the same in Australia…. Read More »
New Zealand trainer Tony Pike has pencilled in an Adelaide campaign for Caricature depending on how she performs in a Listed race at Riccarton. The filly finished fourth in the New Zealand Oaks won by Savvy Coup who was a creditable fifth in last Saturday’s Australian Oaks at Randwick. Caricature… Read More »
Champion jockey Jeff Lloyd has confirmed the 2018 Brisbane winter carnival will be his last. Lloyd was a special guest at the carnival launch in Brisbane on Friday morning and confirmed his plans to retire later this year. He won last season’s Brisbane metropolitan and Queensland jockey titles and is… Read More »
A former Tatts Group executive is the new CEO of Racing Queensland. Brendan Parnell will fill the position left vacant when former CEO Eliot Forbes resigned last month. Mr Parnell has a number of immediate challenges, notably the state of the track at Eagle Farm which has been closed for… Read More »
Former Sky Channel and Tatts Group executive Brendan Parnell has been appointed as the new chief executive of Racing Queensland. He replaces Eliot Forbes who resigned last month amid speculation he had fallen out with several industry figures over the delays with remedial work at Eagle Farm racecourse. Parnell is… Read More »
Few would begrudge popular comeback horse Aqua Vite a win at his first attempt at stakes company at Doomben. Aqua Vite has proved one of the most consistent horses in Queensland with an overall record of 19 starts for six wins and nine minor placings. From his past 11 starts… Read More »
Jockey Craig Williams is looking forward to being reunited with Property when he makes his racing return in the Listed Bel Esprit Stakes at Caulfield. The gelding was heading to Adelaide for the Redelva Stakes at Morphettville on Saturday before a change of heart. Williams partnered Property during his successful… Read More »
Tiffani Brooker can get a boost to her senior riding career when she is reunited with promising two-year-old Pennino at Doomben. Brooker won last season’s metropolitan apprentices title and was again leading when she completed her time at the end of January. Her senior career stalled when she was knocked… Read More »
Impeccably bred Zarkamiya, a filly by Frankel out of Zarkava, has made a stylish winning debut in the Prix de la Lancette at ParisLongchamp. You would have to travel a long way to find a horse with better breeding than the filly trained by Alain de Royer-Dupre and it appears… Read More »
Chris Waller hopes the reintroduction of blinkers can sharpen Tangled’s concentration so he can improve on a creditable third in the Group One Australian Derby. Waller put winkers on the three-year-old colt last spring but the gear change did not have the desired effect so Waller is using another strategy… Read More »
