Group One winner Music Magnate has shown his readiness for his upcoming trip to Dubai with a decisive barrier trial win at Rosehill. The Born Baker-trained six-year-old is scheduled to leave Sydney for Dubai on March 20 and compete in the Group One Al Quoz Sprint on March 31. The… Read More »
Former Japanese horse Brave Smash has been installed the early favourite to claim his first Group One win in the Futurity Stakes at Caulfield after his narrow defeat in the C F Orr Stakes over the same course at distance. Brave Smash is one of three Darren Weir-trained horses nominated… Read More »
Blake Shinn has been cleared of any integrity concerns regarding his ride on Star Sensation in a race at Rosehill. Racing NSW stewards opened a race day inquiry on November 25 and resumed it on December 19 when they asked Shinn to provide financial and communication records. They took further… Read More »
Pierata is the highest prize money earner among the Hobartville Stakes nominations but his trainer Greg Hickman admits he still has a bit to prove in the Group Two race. And he believes he can when he lines up against a field which will include dual Group One winner Ace… Read More »
Lady Horseowner has risen to every challenge so far and gets the chance to do so again on the big stage after being confirmed as a late entry for the Group One Blue Diamond Stakes. Connections have paid the $55,000 fee to run the unbeaten filly in Saturday’s $1.5 million… Read More »
Gold Coast trainer Michael Costa is hoping his recent run of success will mean more Queensland-based owners will send him horses. He had his second metropolitan winner in a week when Diamonds Are scored at Doomben on Saturday. Costa has been based at the Gold Coast for nearly two years… Read More »
Champion sprinter Chautauqua headlines the 23 nominations for the Group One Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield. The Hawkes Racing-trained gelding, winner of three consecutive TJ Smith Stakes in Sydney, is the highest-rated horse among the entries for Saturday’s 1100m handicap, one of three Group One races on the program which also… Read More »
Mark Zahra has switched from one Blue Diamond Stakes fancy to another. The jockey has been released by Godolphin from the ride on the James Cummings-trained Plague Stone so he can continue his association with impressive Talindert Stakes winner Prairie Fire in Saturday’s $1.5 million Blue Diamond (1200m) at Caulfield…. Read More »
Group One-winning colt Invader is to stand at Aquis Farm in partnership with Phoenix Thoroughbreds. The winner of the 2017 ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes, the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Invader is a son of champion sire Snitzel out of stakes winner Flame Of Sydney. Aquis chief executive Shane McGrath said… Read More »
Ted Durcan has announced his retirement after a successful 25 years in the saddle but he will not be lost to racing. The 44-year-old, who rode a host of big winners for most of the top trainers and was also champion jockey in Dubai on many occasions, will continue his… Read More »
Trainer Gary Portelli and Ben Melham are anxiously waiting on Oakleigh Plate nominations to calculate whether the jockey will be able to ride She Will Reign in the Group One sprint. Melham was aboard when the filly won the Golden Slipper but had to forfeit the winning ride in the… Read More »
In what she has described as her biggest moment in racing, popular Port Macquarie trainer Jenny Graham has qualified two horses for the $500,000 NSW Country Championship Final at Randwick. Graham had three runners – Victorem, Awesome Pluck and Portatorio – in Sunday’s first $150,000 qualifying heat at her home… Read More »
Gary Moore hopes revamped training facilities at Rosehill will prove the catalyst for Takedown’s successful comeback. A Group One winner in 2016, the gelding has battled to regain the form that propelled him to victory in the Winterbottom Stakes in Perth. Takedown started his previous preparation as a possible candidate… Read More »
Victoria’s premier trainer Darren Weir is poised to have his first starter in the state’s premier race for juveniles. Weir has not concentrated on two-year-olds in the past but has Native Soldier primed for the $1.5 million Group One Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday. Native Soldier was bought… Read More »
In-form jockey Robbie Fradd’s purple patch of form has came to a halt with an 11-day suspension. Fradd, one of the busiest riders in Queensland, has ridden 10 winners in the past 2-1/2 weeks. He was outed for his ride on Saturday’s Doomben winner Fortensky. Stewards found Fortensky bumped Clockwork… Read More »
A permanent move to Moruya on the NSW south coast is designed to inspire Fell Swoop to the heights the gelding experienced before The Everest. Canberra trainer Matt Dale first relocated the six-year-old to his rural base a fortnight before the world’s richest race on turf in October to stimulate… Read More »
Queensland’s Golden Slipper hopefuls Ef Troop and Outback Barbie will have a final hit-out beore heading to Sydney but the venue is yet to be finalised. Trainer Tony Gollan is keen to take Ef Troop and Outback Barbie to Sydney after they showed they were up to top class in… Read More »
Brisbane-based lightweight jockey Ronnie Stewart will make a rare appearance in Melbourne to ride Savanna Amour in the Group One Oakleigh Plate. Stewart, who has international experience in Singapore, Mauritius, Malaysia and Macau, has yet to ride at Caulfield. His only experience in Melbourne has been at Moonee Valley, almost… Read More »
UBET has launched a new digital product which will eventually lead to paperless tickets in its betting shops. It will allow in-store punters in UBET’s localities – Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and Northern Territory – to build bets on their mobile phone which then generates a barcode they can scan… Read More »
Waiting Patiently has delivered a poignant success for trainer Ruth Jefferson in the Ascot Chase, just 24 hours after the funeral of her father Malcolm. Jefferson, who took over the training licence on the death of her father two weeks ago, retained her composure after Waiting Patiently (2-1 fav) denied… Read More »
