Irish jockey Declan McDonogh’s farewell to Australian racing has been marred by a costly oversight and a suspension. The 37-year-old’s swan song started in bizarre circumstances at Warwick Farm on Saturday when he was fined $200 for Racing NSW stewards for failing to remove a towel from Phoneme before they… Read More »
The Mick Price-trained Holy Snow has enhanced his Australian Guineas credentials with a strong win in a key lead-up race at Caulfield. Holy Snow ($16) charged home down the outside from last in his return from a spell in Saturday’s Group Two Autumn Stakes for three-year-olds to win the 1400m… Read More »
After a couple of close calls, Prompt Response will be given every chance to live up to her Group One potential and has made the perfect start with victory in the Breeders’ Classic at Warwick Farm. Trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, Prompt Response came within a long head… Read More »
A challenging spring campaign in Melbourne has been pinpointed as pivotal to rising Godolphin star Kementari’s sparkling return to racing. The Lonhro colt accounted for his rivals in the Group Three Eskimo Prince Stakes (1200m) at Warwick Farm on Saturday, posting a 2-3/4 length winning margin. Jockey Glyn Schofield coasted… Read More »
The powerful Godolphin stable tested the water with a summer runner in Brisbane and came up a winner when Old North scored his first victory in nearly two years on Saturday. Old North ($6.50) was suited by a breakneck early speed before coming away to beat the favourite I’m A… Read More »
First-up specialist Super Cash has continued her affinity with Caulfield, claiming a last-stride win in the Rubiton Stakes. On Saturday, the Andrew Noblet-trained sprinter followed up last year’s win in the Group Two sprint over 1100m. Ridden by Craig Williams, Super Cash was backed from $5.50 into $4.60 before scoring… Read More »
A $50,000 yearling has repaid his owner with victory in the $250,000 Inglis Classic at Warwick Farm and justified trainer Mark Newnham’s faith in his ability. The $146,000 first prize does not count towards the Golden Slipper, a race Newnham would not be keen to run The Enzo in, believing… Read More »
Mathew Ellerton is considering the Group One Oakleigh Plate for Booker after the filly made a successful return to the races in the Group Three Kevin Hayes Stakes at Caulfield. Ellerton and training partner Simon Zahra were tossing up between Saturday’s Group Two Rubiton Stakes (1100m) against older horses and… Read More »
Brett Cavanough isn’t sure if Star Boy is a Country Championships prospect this year despite winning the Highway Handicap at Warwick Farm. Star Boy ($6.50) was on speed throughout, kicked on the turn and held off the fast-finishing Under The Thumb ($14) to score by a short neck. Cavanough said… Read More »
Promising Snitz earned himself a chance at the Country Championships in NSW when he won at Doomben. Snitz ($3.40), who was having his first run since September, finished too strongly to score his fourth win in eight starts. The Championship is for horses trained in NSW country areas and Snitz… Read More »
Darren Weir says French-bred import Gailo Chop is in for a good preparation after making a winning return at Caulfield. The winner of the Group One Caulfield Stakes last spring, Gailo Chop took out the Group Three Carlyon Cup (1600m) on Saturday. Ridden by Mark Zahra, Gailo Chop was sent… Read More »
A relieved Gary Portelli has given She Will Reign the tick of approval for the Oakleigh Plate after the filly’s win in an Inglis sales-restricted race at Warwick Farm. Although the Golden Slipper winner won the Group One Moir Stakes at the first of her two starts in the spring,… Read More »
It has been less than smooth sailing getting Written By’s preparation on track. But trainer Grahame Begg is convinced he has a serious horse on his hands after the colt remained unbeaten in the Blue Diamond Prelude at Caulfield on Saturday. Written By needed barrier education after failing to load… Read More »
Odds-on favourite Plumaro was beaten at Doomben, but lost nothing with her fast-finishing second. Plumaro ($1.65) had won her first start by nine lengths at Toowoomba after being slow to jump and then flying home. It was the same story on Saturday but not the same result when she failed… Read More »
Beijing Board has notched his third successive win to confirm the Godolphin stayer has finally adapted to Australian racing. The five-year-old French import proved superior in the staying test at Warwick Farm on Saturday by drawing clear to claim the Davali Thoroughbreds Cup (2400m) by a length. “It took him… Read More »
Enbihaar has added to the arsenal of Blue Diamond Stakes runners for the Lindsay Park stable with victory in the fillies Prelude at Caulfield. Last year Lindsay Park saddled six runners in Melbourne’s premier two-year-old race, winning with Catchy, and the stable is hoping for a similar number for the… Read More »
Boom Toowoomba galloper Mr Marbellouz confirmed trainer Kevin Kemp’s big opinion, setting a class record at his first Brisbane run on Saturday. Sent out favourite, Mr Marbellouz ($2.40) jumped straight to the lead and went on to beat Lifesaver ($11) by seven lengths in the Cascade Plate (1050m) at Doomben…. Read More »
The emergence of trainer Brad Widdup has continued with Sandbar’s win in the Lonhro Plate at Warwick Farm which almost certainly guarantees the colt a start in the Golden Slipper 2018. Widdup, an ex-Godolphin foreman, trains primarily for Damion Flower’s Jadeskye operation with the pair joining forces at Hawkesbury in… Read More »
Michael Cahill won a tactical battle between Brisbane’s top jockeys to help stayer Morendi return to winning form at Doomben. After a race run at a stop-and-start pace, Morendi ($7) came away to beat Irish Optimism ($12) by three-quarters of a length with 2-3/4 lengths to the favourite Get on… Read More »
Mid-race concerns turned to post-race celebrations for trainer Luke Oliver after seven-year-old mare Khutulun raced to a narrow victory at Caulfield. Khutulun ($6) wore down Downhearted ($4.20) in the final 200m to win by a nose in Saturday’s The Big Screen Company Handicap (1800m). The came despite Oliver and apprentice… Read More »
