Suncraze has taken an encouraging step towards the Country Championships with a first-up Randwick win. Suncraze, the $5 second elect for the Country Championships final at Randwick in April, extended his consistent record with a fourth win from 11 starts in the Mostyn Cooper Group Handicap. The four-year-old, who has… Read More »
Managing Alizee is a labour of love but it has had its rewards with the Godolphin filly making a triumphant return in the Group Two Light Fingers Stakes at Randwick. Trainer James Cummings said the headstrong Alizee took a lot of time from his staff but it was worth it… Read More »
Faraway Town is closing in on the Guy Walter Stakes after securing her long-awaited first black-type win at Randwick. The four-year-old mare withstood a withering burst by Zestful ($10) to claim the Group Three Triscay Stakes (1200m) by half a head and vindicate Matthew Smith’s modified training regime. Smith opted… Read More »
Improving gelding Malvern Estate proved he was a genuine winter carnival hopeful when he overcame difficulties to score last-stride win at Doomben on Saturday. Malvern Estate ($3.50) beat Boomwaa ($4.40) by a short half head with a half neck to Just Orm ($11) in third in the Open Handicap (1110m)…. Read More »
Redkirk Warrior could return to the country where he was foaled following his stunning first-up win in the Lightning Stakes at Flemington. Royal Ascot headhunter Nick Smith was at Flemington on Saturday and offered an invitation to Redkirk Warrior’s co-trainer David Hayes following the Group One win. Having won last… Read More »
Trainer Mick Price has bolstered his chances of winning a third Australian Guineas after promising colt Grunt confirmed his credentials in a traditional lead-up race at Flemington. Lightly raced Grunt, ridden by Damien Oliver, took his record to three wins from four starts when he edged past well-performed colt and… Read More »
A quick and daring move by Brenton Avdulla to take Kaepernick from last to first has given the gelding a Group Three win at Randwick. Kaepernick ($7.50) caught the field napping when he passed them in the straight and went on to record a long head win in Saturday’s Southern… Read More »
In the absence of Winx, Chris Waller has still won the Group Two Apollo Stakes at Randwick with Endless Drama giving the trainer a particularly satisfying result. Instead of running in Saturday’s Apollo (1400m), Winx showed off her wares in a special trial on the course proper against several stablemates…. Read More »
Sydney’s leading trainer Chris Waller admitted he wasn’t surprised by Quick Defence’s strong finish to the Derucci Handicap at Randwick. The workmanlike six-year-old gelding made amends for a poor last-start with a late burst snatching victory over 1600m. “I got the fright of my life, not today but on Thursday,… Read More »
Imported sprinter Redkirk Warrior has claimed his second Australian Group One win, beating Redzel in a photo-finish to win the Group One Lightning Stakes at Flemington. Winner of the Group One Newmarket Handicap over the straight course last year, Redkirk Warrior ($10) came from the back of the field for… Read More »
Rimraam has landed a betting plunge for Lindsay Park with her first-up victory in a stakes race at Flemington. The filly was backed from $16 to $7.50 before taking out the Group Three The Vanity on Saturday. Damien Oliver gained a run on the fence over the final 200m to… Read More »
A crack at the Group One Newmarket Handicap looms likely for Ken’s Dream after the four-year-old gelding impressed again over the straight course at Flemington. The Darren Weir-trained Ken’s Dream won an 1100m open handicap at Flemington second-up this campaign last month before finishing fourth in the Group Two Australia… Read More »
Winx has done what Winx does best even though there was no prize money or status involved. The champion came to Randwick on Saturday for a simulated race, taking the place of a start in the Apollo Stakes. Connections opted not to run her in the Group Two race because… Read More »
A plan by trainer Tony Gollan and Jim Byrne paid off when Brazen Moss scored an overdue win at Doomben. Gollan and Byrne realised the main danger to Brazen Moss, Torgersen was drawn inside them and they were keen to keep here there on the wet track on Saturday. “We… Read More »
Trainer Paul Snowden queried Glyn Schofield’s tactics after developing stayer Emperor’s Way had to settle for a dead heat with pacesetter Almost Court at Randwick. The duo could not be split in the Fairfax & Roberts Jewellers Handicap (2000m) after Emperor’s Way, the $3.50 favourite, made a last-ditch dive at… Read More »
Lightly raced Setoga surprised even his jockey Paul Hammersley with his powerful finish to win at Doomben on Saturday. Setoga ($12) was slow to jump and was a clear last early before charging home to beat the favourite Don’t Leave Me out ($3.70) by two lengths. The gelding is one… Read More »
Trainer Darren Weir is loathe to spell a horse in winning form but is in a quandary over what to do with Kings Will Dream. The English import remains unbeaten in Australia after taking out the Goodwood Racecourse Handicap at Flemington on Saturday. Ridden by Mark Zahra, Kings Will Dream… Read More »
Gai Waterhouse’s prospects of a seventh Golden Slipper have spiralled dramatically upwards with the win of Santos at Randwick. The colt firmed from $51 to $11 in markets for the Golden Slipper on March 24 with his dominant victory in Saturday’s Pierro Plate (1100m), a race named for Waterhouse’s fifth… Read More »
Promising two-year-old Only Wanna Sing dispelled a theory he was a wet-track duffer when he upset a long-priced betting move on runner-up Red Stina at Doomben. Only Wanna Sing had failed badly on a heavy track at his previous start and when a storm again made Doomben a heavy track… Read More »
Prairie Fire has clinched a Blue Diamond berth with victory in a Listed race at Flemington. The Mick Price-trained colt is raced by Sun Stud and was having his second start in Saturday’s The Asian Executive Stakes (1100m) for two-year-olds in a bid to secure a Blue Diamond start. Khulaasa… Read More »
