The rich Victorian country cups circuit is on the agenda for Oncidium Ruler after he outstayed his rivals on the final day of the Melbourne Cup carnival at Flemington. Racing second-up from a spell, Oncidium Ruler appreciated the rise in distance to 2000m in winning Saturday’s Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation… Read More »
A strong finish from Run Naan has given trainer Tony McEvoy a second-straight win in the Group Three Maribyrnong Plate for two-year-olds at Flemington. Run Naan overhauled Godolphin colt Encryption in Saturday’s 1000m straight race to also give his jockey Andrew Mallyon a second Maribyrnong Plate, only his victories have… Read More »
Tough Gold Coast two-year-old Blue Book continued to surprise his trainer Kelly Doughty when he won at his debut on Saturday. Blue Book ($11) went straight to the lead and gave nothing else a chance when he beat plunge horse Grim Reaper ($9 to $4.60) in the National Storage 2YO… Read More »
Three years after finishing one-two in the Darley Classic, Terravista and Chautauqua are back for their latest crack at the million dollar sprint at Flemington. Chautauqua has won six Group One races, including three-straight TJ Smith Stakes at Randwick, and amassed more than $8.7 million prize money but a Group… Read More »
Peter Snowden admits he was close to sending $1 million yearling King for a spell without racing this spring but has been persuaded otherwise by the change in the two-year-old since he has been wearing blinkers in training. The colt is favourite to make a winning start to his career… Read More »
David Hayes is looking for his stable’s elite sprinters Vega Magic and Redkirk Warrior to bounce back to their best after last-start disappointments in what shapes as one of the races of the Melbourne spring carnival. Redkirk Warrior and Vega Magic will both line up in Saturday’s star-studded Darley Classic… Read More »
While co-trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott are enjoying a successful Melbourne spring carnival highlighted by Pinot’s VRC Oaks, closer to home Stonebrook will attempt to return to his winning ways at Rosehill. The promising four-year-old won his first four starts but came undone over 1400 metres at Randwick on… Read More »
A successful Melbourne Cup carnival could get a whole lot better for co-trainers Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra if Odeon can cause an Emirates Stakes upset. The Flemington trainers are preparing to run the four-year-old for the second time this week in Saturday’s $2 million weight-for-age race on his home… Read More »
Curdled’s quest for success in the Magic Millions Guineas on the Gold Coast will get underway at Rosehill. Trainer Peter Robl has mapped out a three-race schedule to prepare the three-year-old for the $2 million race over 1400 metres in January. Curdled resumes in a Benchmark 75 Handicap (1100m) on… Read More »
English Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby will make his first appearance in Melbourne this spring to saddle his runners in two stakes races. Appleby made regular trips from England to Australia for last year’s spring carnival and saddled five winners from 10 runners. With four horses in Melbourne this year in… Read More »
Godolphin Australia head trainer James Cummings has an eye to the future for Emirates Stakes contender It’s Somewhat while at the same time concentrating on the Group One race at Flemington. Cummings has selected the $1 million Kingston Town Stakes (1800m) at Ascot next month as the an ideal target… Read More »
Gary Portelli’s search for a second Golden Slipper winner will be put to the test when Secret Lady makes her debut at Rosehill. The filly is the Sydney trainer’s latest contender to emerge as a potential successor to She Will Reign who won the $3.5 million 1200m-sprint for two-year-olds in… Read More »
New Zealand star Gingernuts will make a belated Melbourne spring carnival appearance in the Emirates Stakes and his trainer is confident the multiple Group One winner can have an impact. This year’s New Zealand Derby and Rosehill Guineas winner was scheduled to come to Melbourne for last month’s Caulfield Cup… Read More »
Flemington straight racing is a different beast and with that in mind co-trainer Peter Snowden says experience is a huge factor for Redzel in the Group One Darley Classic. Redzel won a Group Three race over 1000m straight race at last year’s Flemington carnival, a race Snowden, who trains in… Read More »
After a few near-misses, Newcastle mare In Her Time and her trainer Ben Smith have their latest chance to snare a first Group One win in a star-studded Darley Classic at Flemington. In Her Time has placed in three Group One sprints during 2017 including a close second in the… Read More »
Jockey Damian Browne’s noted ability to balance his mounts will see him ride promising Crack Me Up with a huge weight on Saturday. Crack Me Up was one of the best Queensland performers at the most recent winter carnival. At his last two carnival starts he won the Group Three… Read More »
Smart Gold Coast two-year-old Brinkmanship has had the first piece of luck in his short career as he aims towards securing a $2 million Magic Millions Classic berth. Brinkmanship will be having his third race start at Doomben on Saturday. He is one of the few top chances to have… Read More »
This is the first Oaks Day that Greg Miles has missed in his 36-year career as a race caller. “I feel like the kid who is sneaking a cigarette behind the shelter sheds at school,” Miles told AAP. “I’m at the races having a glass of champagne thinking ‘I really… Read More »
Top stayer Kaiser Franz, who resumes racing on Saturday, is typical of horses who are disadvantaged by the closure of Eagle Farm racetrack. Kaiser Franz has had 39 race starts but only four of them have been at Eagle Farm which has been closed for long periods in the past… Read More »
The wait for a first winner at this year’s Melbourne Cup carnival is over for the Godolphin team, with talented filly Jorda taking out the Group Three Kennedy Plate. The royal blue colours had gone winless through the first two meetings of the Flemington carnival and it took until the… Read More »
