Jean Dubois has to set the bar higher for Mate Story after he mastered a Highway Handicap field for the second time at Randwick. The four-year-old gelding supplied the Goulburn-based trainer’s first metropolitan winner a fortnight ago when winning a 1500m Highway Plate at Rosehill, and he handled the step… Read More »
Trainer Stuart Kendrick admits Queensland’s fickle weather has left him giddy as he chases a suitable race to launch promising stayer Rancho Montoya’s southern campaign. Racing Queensland has added the five races abandoned on Friday night at the Sunshine Coast due to a storm to that track’s meeting on Sunday…. Read More »
Canberra trainer Matt Dale will make a rare trip to Sydney with Hermosa Beach to run in the Group Three Triscay Stakes (1200m) at Randwick. Since Canberra horses were excluded from the popular Highway Handicap series late last year Dale has focused locally, although Magic Millions Country Cup winner Zafina… Read More »
Peter Snowden believes $1.3 million colt Tchaikovsky can make an immediate impression when he steps out in a race for the first time in the Pierro Plate. Tchaikovsky, by Redoute’s Choice out of Ballet Blue, was the joint sale topper at last year’s Magic Millions yearling sale at the Gold… Read More »
Training partners Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards are about to discover how New Zealand and Queensland form equates to Sydney racing when Melody Belle lines up in the Light Fingers Stakes. The filly has settled in nicely to her temporary surrounds at Randwick, the venue of the next stage of… Read More »
Prairie Fire will be racing for a start in the Blue Diamond Stakes when he runs in a stakes race at Flemington. The Mick Price-trained two-year-old is still in contention for a start in Saturday week’s Group One Blue Diamond at Caulfield, but needs to win at Flemington on Saturday… Read More »
Australia’s current sprinting star Redzel could pass one of Black Caviar’s milestones in the Group One race named for the retired champion at Flemington. The Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Redzel has put together six-straight wins since last April and can take his career earnings past $8 million if he wins… Read More »
Co-trainer Trent Busuttin is guarded as he awaits the autumn return of three-year-olds Sully and Main Stage. The pair run first-up in Saturday’s Group Three C S Hayes Stakes at Flemington, their first starts since finishing second and fifth respectively in the Victoria Derby last spring. Busuttin won’t know exactly… Read More »
Tough gelding Chivadahlii, who left Brisbane with a country career ahead of him, returns to Doomben as a potential staying star. Chivadahlii has been much-travelled, starting his career in NSW country areas before a stint in Victoria. He then had a campaign with Brian Smith at Eagle Farm before joining… Read More »
Racing Victoria has made changes to its local rules, giving jockey’s greater flexibility to defer careless riding suspensions by up to nine days like other states. RV announced the changes on Friday but the new nine-day rule will not apply to suspensions incurred on Victoria Derby Day or Melbourne Cup… Read More »
Bjorn Baker believes things are in Addictive Nature’s favour to reward the perseverance of punters in the Apollo Stakes. Sent out favourite in each of his five career starts, the three-year-old has only lived up to that billing twice, although he has never finished out of the minor placings. The… Read More »
Owner-breeder Grania McAlpine’s devotion to veteran sire Red Dazzler has produced another winner with Aileach scoring an upset victory at Ipswich. Aileach ($21) skimmed through a heavy track to beat Sassy Style ($17) by 3-3/4 lengths in Friday’s Two-Year-Old Handicap (800m). McAlpine bred Aileach by putting her mare Suiligh to… Read More »
Trainer Toby Edmonds’ policy of not rushing his horses is set to reap more benefits when exciting prospect Alleviator makes his city debut a Doomben. Alleviator will be having only his second race start in the Three-Year-Old Handicap (1050m) on Saturday. Edmonds said the gelding had been a work in… Read More »
After a successful spring campaign, Bring Me Roses is ready to begin her autumn preparation which trainer Tony McEvoy hopes will culminate in a major Oaks win. Bring Me Roses was runner-up to Pinot in the VRC Oaks at Flemington in November and McEvoy has mapped out a program towards… Read More »
Trainer Desleigh Forster hopes she might have a potential winter carnival horse in Malvern Estate who is aiming for four wins in a row at Doomben. Forster entered Malvern Estate for the Open Handicap (1100m) and the Benchmark 80 (1200m) but elected to go with former when he drew barrier… Read More »
All is in readiness for star sprinter Redzel to chase his third Group One win and attempt to extend his current winning sequence to seven when he resumes in the Lightning Stakes. Co-trainer Peter Snowden said he was happy with Redzel’s preparation and said the gelding was quite forward for… Read More »
Racing Queensland is set to again examine whether to introduce mandatory barrier trials for horses before they can start in races. In Queensland horses must get a barrier certificate in a jump-out or trial before they can race. Several punters’ groups have been pushing for mandatory public trials before a… Read More »
A breach of an Australian rule of racing has cost one of Australia’s leading syndicators $19,000 in fines. Racing Victoria stewards on Thursday concluded an inquiry into Australian Bloodstock Pty Ltd and their compliance with regulations imposed upon them as an authorised promoter. Australian Bloodstock, represented by director Luke Murrell,… Read More »
Group One winner Aloisia will put her Australian Guineas credentials on display when she makes her return in the Group Three Vanity at Flemington. Saturday’s 1400m-race for three-year-old fillies will be her lead-up to the Group One Australian Guineas (1600m) against her male counterparts two weeks later. “She’s had a… Read More »
One of Gai Waterhouse’s leading Golden Slipper candidates can vindicate the legendary trainer’s opinion when he attempts to qualify for the world’s richest race for two-year-olds. Santos has emerged among the cream of Waterhouse and co-trainer Adrian Bott’s crop of juveniles. Waterhouse has won the $3.5 million Golden Slipper six… Read More »
