Leading Northern Rivers trainer Matt Dunn has celebrated country racing’s biggest prize by the smallest of margins with Gracie Belle at Randwick. A $21 chance in Saturday’s $400,000 Country Championship Final, Gracie Belle put her nose down on the line under hard riding by Kerrin McEvoy to get the decision… Read More »
The decision to leave classy stayer Ilwendo in Brisbane after a disastrous previous start has paid dividends at Doomben. Ilwendo struck severe interference in the straight at Doomben last Saturday before finishing seventh behind top three-year-old Eric The Eel. Queensland racing went to regions this week, which meant Ilwendo was… Read More »
Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott have continued their stellar Sydney autumn carnival form, producing the lightly raced Entente for a stakes victory at Randwick. The stable has won three Group One races in as many weeks, including the Golden Slipper courtesy of Farnan, with Entente adding a Group Three to… Read More »
Veteran jockey Larry Cassidy has continued to show he has lost none of his skills with another top ride to win on Kusama at Doomben. The winner of 40 Group One races and jockeys premierships in Sydney and Brisbane, Cassidy has battled a string of injury problems in recent years…. Read More »
After a debut win at a country venue, Forever Free has stepped straight to city company at Caulfield to keep her unbeaten record intact. And Forever Free showed she is adept in all conditions with her all-the-way win in Saturday’s Robert Taranto Handicap (1100m). Rain on Friday night left the… Read More »
Doubtland has stamped himself as a colt with a bright future after destroying his rivals to win the Group Three Kindergarten Stakes at Randwick. Trained by the Hawkes Racing partnership, Doubtland was sent into Saturday’s 1100m race for two-year-olds off a debut win on the Kensington track at Randwick a… Read More »
Bobbing has been cleared to take his place in the Country Championships Final despite the discovery of a used syringe in his horse float. Racing NSW chief steward Marc Van Gestel questioned Bobbing’s trainer Bernie Kelly about the syringe before the first race at Randwick on Saturday. The Scone-based horseman… Read More »
One of the doyens of Queensland racing, Darryl Gollan, has died aged 76 after a long illness. He was first diagnosed with cancer 15 years ago but in his typical resolute way was still a regular at race meetings until recently. The father of premier Brisbane trainer Tony Gollan, Daryl… Read More »
The presenter of Saturday’s Virtual Grand National, Nick Luck, says the race will create a welcome distraction from the daily coronavirus news. Millions are expected to watch the race on ITV this weekend – with major bookmakers donating all profits to NHS Charities Together. “It was never set up for… Read More »
Racing Queensland will provide $2.4 million in short-term funding to support its TAB clubs during the coronavirus pandemic. In a statement released on Friday, RQ chairman Steve Wilson said it was part of a multi-staged process to help during the crisis. “Having conducted patron-free meetings since March 16, RQ is… Read More »
He has won two Everests, two Group One races and more than $16 million. On Saturday veteran sprinter Redzel will try to repel a number of younger star sprinters when he chases another memorable Randwick victory in the Group One TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) at the venue of his two… Read More »
TJ SMITH STAKES 1200m, $1.25 million Group One weight-for-age at Randwick * Prize money halved for this year because of coronavirus pandemic and reduced wagering income HISTORY * Named in honour of Randwick’s most famous trainer whose daughter Gai Waterhouse has won the race with Phoenix Park in 2002, Shamekha… Read More »
THE ATC AUSTRALIAN DERBY 2400m, $1 million, set weights * Prize money halved this year because of coronavirus pandemic and reduced wagering income HISTORY * First run in 1861 and won by Kyogle, the Derby is firmly established as the No.1 three-year-old Classic in the country. * Past winners include… Read More »
Santa Ana Lane can etch his name alongside two of the best sprinters this century if he can go back-to-back in the Group One TJ Smith Stakes at Randwick. Black Caviar (2011, 2013) and three-time race winner Chautauqua (2015-17) are the only horses to have claimed the showpiece twice since… Read More »
Coronavirus restrictions have led to apprentice Alex Patis riding her first metropolitan winner at the Gold Coast. Queensland is split into regions because of the coronavirus outbreak with metropolitan racing divided between the Gold Coast on Friday and Doomben on Saturday. Patis, 20, did part of her apprenticeship in Victoria… Read More »
SIRES’ PRODUCE STAKES 1400m, $500,000 Group One for two-year-olds at Randwick * Prize money halved for this year because of coronavirus pandemic and reduced wagering income HISTORY * First run in 1867 when won by Glencoe * Some greats of the Australasian turf have won the race including Furious (1921),… Read More »
A Sydney Cup berth is in the pipeline for Victoria Derby winner Warning if he can reproduce a similar performance in the ATC Australian Derby at Randwick. The last three-year-old to win the Sydney Cup was outstanding stayer Tie The Knot 22 years ago. He was runner-up to Gold Guru… Read More »
Gerald Ryan will have up to three runners in the Group One Sires’ Produce Stakes and regards his best chance as the only member of the trio yet to be tested at black-type level. Return With Honour, Mission River and Cultural Amnesia will be Ryan’s squad for Saturday’s 1400m-contest, the… Read More »
No-one is happier to hear there is a soft track at Randwick ahead of the opening day of The Championships than Mike Moroney. Melbourne-based Moroney has two horses entered in Group One races on Saturday, Tofane in the TJ Smith and Rainbow Thief, an emergency, in the Doncaster Mile. Both… Read More »
Grand Piano will face some promising young horses in the Carbine Club Stakes, but none with the credentials of his recent galloping partner. Trainer John Thompson’s Randwick stable is home to some high-profile visiting horses for the Sydney autumn carnival including champion New Zealand mare Melody Belle who is among… Read More »
