A bigger and stronger Houtzen has fought off her challengers to win the Group Three PJ Bell Stakes and shake the tag of being purely a speed machine. As a two-year-old, Houtzen had a reputation as a catch-me-if-you-can filly but trainer Toby Edmonds said that was mostly because of wide… Read More »
Muraaqeb was earmarked as a Golden Slipper candidate for Lindsay Park last autumn and a year later he has belatedly made his mark in Sydney. The three-year-old has been highly rated since his third in the 2017 edition of the Black Opal Stakes in Canberra but a Golden Slipper campaign… Read More »
Imported stayer Harrison has landed his first Australian win over 2400m at Bendigo. Having his third Australian start in Saturday’s Macedon Lodge Handicap, Harrison was sent out the $2.15 favourite and the last-start Mornington Cup runner-up did not disappoint. After sitting outside the leader Multitude, Harrison took over at the… Read More »
Trainer Tony Gollan’s confidence his filly Shamurt could beat plunge horse Cuddle Me Tight has proved correct at Toowoomba. Cuddle Me Tight, a first starter by sire Love Conquers All, was as short as $1.60 in pre-post betting markets before settling at $2 for the Spirit Of Boom two-year-old race… Read More »
Champion Winx has made a cameo appearance at Randwick on the first day of The Championships, galloping around the course proper before the Queen Elizabeth Stakes. The mare is in great shape and so is her jockey, Hugh Bowman, who has missed the past two feature meetings of the carnival… Read More »
Gary Moore has credited former champion jockey Mick Dittman for Paquirri producing a boilover in the opening race of The Championships at Randwick. Jockey-turned-trainer Moore consulted Dittman, a part-owner of the I Am Invincible colt, before Paquirri attempted to break his maiden in the Group Three Kindergarten Stakes (1000m) and… Read More »
Glyn Schofield has had to surrender the ride on Doncaster Mile favourite Kementari because he cannot make the colt’s weight, but he is still hopeful of picking up a Group One win at Randwick with Astoria. Schofield had no option but to hop off the gun Godolphin colt after he… Read More »
Hugh Bowman has been cleared to ride Winx in a race day gallop at Randwick after succumbing to illness. The work-out on the champion after the first race will be the only ride on Saturday for Bowman who has been missing in action since being stood down with a virus… Read More »
Trainer Ben Currie will have his biggest ever representation at a metropolitan meeting but it is one of his first starters which has caught the most early attention. Currie trained his 108th Queensland winner and his 110th in Australia when Mishani Electra won the last race at Ipswich on Wednesday…. Read More »
Dual Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Kerrin McEvoy says Redzel is the best sprinter he has ever ridden as he aims to steer the favourite to the $2.5 million Group One TJ Smith Stakes. “He’s the best sprinter I’ve ridden. You can always argue about who’s the best sprinter or horse in… Read More »
Retired bookmaker and hobby breeder Michael Thomas heads to Randwick with two chances in Group One races, something he almost let slip away. After a couple of years breeding from Busking, Thomas sold the mare before later buying her back when Darley decided to move her on. The mare was… Read More »
A Brisbane winter carnival campaign is in the pipeline for Mahamedeis who returns to the racetrack at Bendigo. A veteran of five starts in which he has finished in the quinella placings on each occasion, Mahamedeis has his first run in stakes company on Saturday in the Listed Bendigo Guineas…. Read More »
Unseasonably fine autumn weather for the Australian Derby has not fazed Murray Baker as he eyes a fifth successful raid on the $2 million three-year-old Classic at Randwick. While New Zealand contenders for the Group One staying test over 2400m tend to enjoy soft or heavy going, Baker’s quartet are… Read More »
Golden Slipper-winning jockey Brenton Avdulla is confident he can continue his rich vein of form and take out the Doncaster Mile on favourite Kementari. “It’s a position I’m getting used to (riding favourites). I was lucky enough to win the Golden Slipper a couple of weeks ago and I’m feeling… Read More »
Crack Me Up can boost the spirits of surrogate trainer Bjorn Baker after a disappointing Dubai World Cup experience. Baker was in Dubai last weekend to watch Music Magnate run 11th in the Group One Al Quoz Sprint. The Warwick Farm trainer is hoping for a better result after taking… Read More »
A strong showing from Nozomi in the Listed Golden Mile at Bendigo can earn him a place on the list of horses trainer Anthony Freedman is already targeting at the upcoming Queensland carnival. Nozomi heads to Saturday’s Golden Mile for the third run of his current campaign and he steps… Read More »
Trainer Chris Gibbs is confident Damien Oliver can turn things around on Group One Australian Derby aspirant Endowment. The champion jockey rode the New Zealand gelding in the Group One Rosehill Guineas (2000m) and was critical of his own ride after Endowment finished 8-1/4 lengths behind winner D’Argento on March… Read More »
A year after finishing second with After All That, trainer Rod Northam and jockey Robert Thompson have another chance to win the rich Country Championships Final at Randwick with My Tagoson. My Tagoson, like After All That 12 months ago, earned his spot in Saturday’s $500,000 race via the Wild… Read More »
Toowoomba’s softer track surface has given Gold Coast trainer Bruce Hill confidence he can be a major player in all three feature races at the Weetwood Handiap meeting. Hill will saddle Man of His Word (Weetwood), Bodega Negra (Toowoomba Cup) and Gun Bolt (Toowoomba Guineas) in the only metropolitan standard… Read More »
Just on 12 months ago Tom Sadler was riding on a high. He combined with his trainer father John to win the Group Three Easter Cup at Caulfield with Observational who gave Tom his solitary black-type victory. A year on and Sadler is on the verge of getting his ticket… Read More »
