Gerald Ryan has lost Deploy for the autumn but the trainer still has plenty of ammunition among the stable’s younger brigade headed by Trapeze Artist. Five-year-old Deploy set records in the spring for 1200m at Randwick and 1300m at Rosehill but disappointed in his return when last in Southern Cross… Read More »
Wind the clock back 12 months and the Lindsay Park training establishment was celebrating an autumn Group One double. Catchy won the Blue Diamond Stakes for two-year-olds and 40 minutes later Sheidel took out the Oakleigh Plate. Both are owned by Robert Crabtree and his wife Sylvie and on Saturday… Read More »
Aaron Purcell admits he expected better from Derby hopeful Rellson when he returned from a spell but the trainer is looking forward to seeing the gelding step up in distance at Caulfield. Rellson was the $1.70 favourite in a 1400m benchmark-64 at Pakenham on February 8 but could only manage… Read More »
Foxplay’s trainer Chris Waller is not reading anything into her barrier trials ahead of her return in the Group Two Millie Fox Stakes at Rosehill. The four-year-old will be up against her fellow Group One-winning stablemate Egg Tart over 1300 metres on Saturday. Like her illustrious stablemate Winx, Foxplay shows… Read More »
On the eve of the Blue Diamond Stakes meeting at Caulfield, senior Lindsay Park trainer David Hayes says he would prefer to be talking about his runners in three Group One races. Lindsay Park saddles favourite Long Leaf in the Blue Diamond along with three stablemates and has multiple runners… Read More »
Lovely but enigmatic galloper Lord Of The Sky wins the Group One Futurity and is now off to Kingstar Farm in the Hunter Valley. That’s the headline trainer Robbie Laing would like to be reading on Saturday night after Lord Of The Sky runs in the 1400m Futurity Stakes weight-for-age race… Read More »
In-form Bedford will face the biggest challenge of his career to date when he returns to Caulfield for the Mornington Cup Prelude against a field which includes Melbourne Cup winner Almandin. The Anthony Freedman-trained Bedford has won his past two starts over Saturday’s course and distance, scoring by six lengths… Read More »
A decision whether the Brisbane meeting at a rain-drenched Doomben goes ahead will depend on a race morning track inspection. Doomben had more than 40mm of rain by Friday morning and up to another 50mm was expected by Saturday morning. Track manager Jim Roberts said the Doomben track was holding… Read More »
Ertijaal has edged out Blue Point in a stirring finish to the Group Two Meydan Sprint in Dubai, a lead-up to the Group One Al Quoz Sprint featuring Australians Music Magnate and illustrious Lad.. Despite his head defeat, Blue Point was cut to favouritism at 6-4 from 11-4 for the… Read More »
Star New Zealand mare Bonneval has suffered a career-threatening injury to a suspensory ligament. Andrew Forsman, the training partner of Murray Baker, said the New Zealand Horse of the Year was found to have swelling in a leg on Friday morning and scans confirmed the suspensory issue. “There was some… Read More »
Racing Victoria has refused requests to release the brief of evidence ahead of the hearing into the wide-ranging doping scandal involving race day treatments. RV chief executive Giles Thompson issued a statement on Thursday saying the appropriate legal procedures would be followed. Over the past two days, News Corp has… Read More »
FUTURITY STAKES 1400m, Caulfield, $500,000, weight-for-age HISTORY * First run in 1898 when won by Resolute. Group One since 1980 * Lee Freedman with four winners – Mannerism (1992); Schillaci (1993/95); Mr Murphy (2001) and David Hayes – Primacy (1994); Fields Of Omagh (2006); Niconero (2008/09) – head the modern… Read More »
Quality mare Shillelagh will be out to bounce back in the Group One Futurity Stakes after never threatening in her return from a spell in the C F Orr Stakes. The Chris Waller-trained mare won the Group One Kennedy Mile at Flemington at the end of her spring campaign and… Read More »
Neutrality makes his comeback in the Silver Slipper Stakes at Rosehill with an eye on a more significant prize. The colt has been in the frame for the $3.5 million Golden Slipper since opening his career in winning style in November, but he must produce another impressive performance to justify… Read More »
Blake Shinn has appealed the severity of a suspension which will keep him out of the first two Group One race meetings of the Sydney carnival. Shinn returned from a careless riding suspension at Canterbury on Wednesday only to be outed again, this time for failing to ride one of… Read More »
Predictions of a wet track for Doomben are music to trainer Kelly Doughty’s ears but she says she will believe it when she sees it. Doughty has noted wet track performer Flamboyer in Saturday’s Open Handicap (1350m). Doomben was rated good on Thursday but heavy rain is predicted for the… Read More »
OAKLEIGH PLATE 1100m, Caulfield, $500,000, Handicap HISTORY * First run in 1884 when won by Malua. Group One since 1980. Run over 1200m from 1884-1972 * Leading modern-day trainers are John Hawkes: Harpagus (1982) and Sports (2000), Brian Mayfield-Smith: Sudurka (2002) and Reactive (2004), Paul Perry: Dantelah (1999) and Fastnet… Read More »
BLUE DIAMOND STAKES 1200m, Caulfield, $1,500,000, Two-year-olds HISTORY * First run in 1971 when won by Tolerance NOTABLE WINNERS * Manikato (1978); Rancher (1982); Bounding Away (1986); Midnight Fever (1987); Zeditave (1988); Redoute’s Choice (1999); Bel Esprit (2002); Alinghi (2004); Star Witness (2010); Sepoy (2011); Miracles Of Life (2013); Extreme… Read More »
Ron Quinton is hoping Teaspoon has finally recovered from an arduous two-year-old campaign when the filly makes a belated debut for her new trainer at Rosehill. Quinton had planned to race Teaspoon in August, but two unsatisfactory barrier trials delayed her return until Saturday’s Spark Of Life Handicap (1100m). “There… Read More »
Emerging trainer Brad Widdup has unwittingly found himself the centre of attention with a horse whose history he was unaware of when she entered his Hawkesbury stable. Lovani was transferred to Widdup before Christmas and it has since emerged she was the catalyst for a wide-ranging doping scandal involving her… Read More »
