Jockey Matt McGillivray appears to have chosen the right path by opting to ride at the Gold Coast a day before the meeting at Doomben. Racing Queensland has introduced regional racing in an effort to limit the danger of the coronavirus. It means Queensland has two metropolitan prize money meetings… Read More »
The Irish National Hunt season has officially come to a close following the suspension of racing and announcement the Fairyhouse and Punchestown Festivals will not be rescheduled. The government in Ireland last month cancelled all sporting events because of the coronavirus outbreak, including those behind closed doors, until at least… Read More »
Godolphin trainer James Cummings is forgiving of Bivouac’s last-start defeat and expects the colt to show his best in a star-studded edition of the TJ Smith Stakes at Randwick. Bivouac is one of nine Group One winners in the 13-horse field for Saturday’s TJ Smith (1200m) in which he will… Read More »
Trainer Peter Snowden knows what it takes to win the Sires’ Produce Stakes at Randwick and is convinced his stable has three genuine chances to register his fifth success in the Group One race at Randwick. Snowden prepared Helmet (2011) and Guelph (2013) to win the Sires’ when he was… Read More »
A wide barrier combined with a hefty weight for their horse is an assignment a trainer would usually put in the too-hard basket. But with uncertainty over how long racing will continue in the current climate because of the coronavirus pandemic, trainers are taking every opportunity. Lumped with 63kg and… Read More »
Trainer Stuart Kendrick again confirmed his prowess with cheap horses when Uncomplicated won at the Sunshine Coast and he hopes to continue it on a bigger stage this week. Kendrick has Eric The Eel, a $6000 buy, in the Group One ATC Australian Derby on Saturday. While Uncomplicated’s win is… Read More »
After coming to the fore in the Rosehill Guineas, star colt Castelvecchio will get his chance to go the distance in Australian Derby at Randwick. Trainer Richard Litt was thrilled to see his stable star return to the winner’s circle in the Rosehill Guineas to add an important Group One… Read More »
The midweek Sydney meeting at Rosehill has been called off after one race with the track in an unsuitable condition following heavy rain. Shortly after the Matthew Smith-trained two-year-old filly Rock My Wand raced to a 4-1/2-length maiden win in Wednesday’s Hyland Race Colours Handicap (1200m) on a heavy track,… Read More »
Thoroughbred auctioneers William Inglis & Son will conduct a test run of its online facilities ahead of the Australian Easter Yearling sale which has been forced off-site because of the coronavirus pandemic. Inglis has been running smaller online auctions for some time but the Easter Sale is traditionally the most… Read More »
The iconic Warrnambool racing carnival has been reduced to two days as racing administrators continue to plan revised meetings amid the cornavirus pandemic. Racing Victoria and the Warrnambool Racing Club announced the abbreviated carnival will see an all-jumps program on the first day, May 5, with an all-Flat meeting on… Read More »
With the luxury of Quackerjack’s place in the Doncaster assured for months, trainer Mark Newnham has been able to tailor his preparation to ensure the timing is perfect heading into the famous Randwick mile. Quackerjack earned a ballot exemption to Saturday’s Group One Doncaster Mile when he won the Group… Read More »
The Victoria Racing Club is determined to run the Melbourne Cup this year, even if it is held behind closed doors due to the coronavirus pandemic. The commitment comes after Moonee Valley Racing Club’s chief executive Michael Browell said his club would consider not staging the 100th running of Cox… Read More »
Racing Queensland will suspend all jockey and trainer premiership counts until further notice. Queensland is now on five regions for racing purposes during the COVID-19 outbreak with the southern Queensland area divided into north and south. Jockeys have to nominate one area where they will ride and trainers are restricted… Read More »
Unlucky Grey Missile has finally drawn a good barrier as he heads a big team from the Toby and Trent Edmonds training partnership at the Gold Coast. The Edmonds partnership has lived up its vow to support regional racing and will play a major hand at the Gold Coast as… Read More »
Veteran trainer Barry Baldwin is surprised by the quality of racing at the two regional metropolitan meetings in southeast Queensland. Racing Queensland, in an effort to keep racing during the COVID-19 pandemic, has divided the state into five regions for racing with the metropolitan meetings restricted to north and south… Read More »
Britain’s leading female jockey Hollie Doyle is keeping herself busy to make sure she is ready for the resumption of racing, whenever that might be. Doyle, 23, is riding out every day and will be primed for a return to action once the go ahead is received on the track…. Read More »
Fan favourite Happy Clapper has tuned up for his next Group One assignment with a barrier trial win at Randwick. The nine-year-old will run in Saturday week’s Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) having finished third in two of the past four runnings. He only beat one runner home in the George… Read More »
Trainer Kris Lees has added to his chances in the Provincial Championship Final, with three-year-old Animate booking his spot with victory in the final qualifying heat. The Lees-trained Animate won Tuesday’s $150,000 Provincial Championship Qualifier (1350m) which was held at Newcastle after being washed out at Wyong on Sunday. The… Read More »
Victorian fields will be capped along with the number of races at any meeting as the sport continues amid the coronavirus pandemic. Metropolitan field sizes will be kept to a maximum of 14 starters while at country meetings field sizes will be restricted to 12 to better assist Racing Victoria… Read More »
With movement across state borders restricted by coronavirus, trainer Grahame Begg has had to rethink Beauty Bolt’s program. The first-up Sandown winner is being aimed at the Group One Australasian Oaks at Morphettville in May and Begg had planned two starts in Adelaide leading into the race. One was on… Read More »
