The Victorian Racing Industry will not exercise its right to appeal the Australian Competition Tribunal’s decision to allow the merger between Tabcorp and Tatts Group. Crownbet and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission have lodged appeals with the Federal Court. “The VRI’s primary concern with the proposed Tabcorp-Tatts merger remains… Read More »
Bolero King continues his injury-delayed quest for black-type recognition when the Clarry Conners-trained gelding steps up to city Saturday grade racing at Randwick. Conners has set the bar high for the four-year-old, who needed more than a year off to mend a tendon issue. “I’m expecting big things from him…. Read More »
The Australian Turf club has reaffirmed its commitment to Sydney racing infrastructure including multi-million dollar upgrades to all four tracks including Warwick Farm. ATC chief executive Darren Pearce also says there is no intention to sell Canterbury despite its rezoning with only redundant parts of the course to be offloaded…. Read More »
Mick Miladinovic admits Gentle Annie has been fast-tracked into Highway Handicap racing amid uncertainty over the future eligibility of Canberra-trained horses. As Racing NSW considered changing Canberra’s status from country to provincial in a move that would bar horses in the area from contesting the $60,000 races, Miladinovic thought time… Read More »
Grand Armee, the two-time Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner who spoiled Lonhro’s farewell to racing, has died aged 18. The former Tulloch Lodge warrior died overnight in his stable at Tim Boland’s Limitless Lodge on the NSW Central Coast, where he spent his post-racing career. Also a Doncaster Mile winner, Grand… Read More »
Fresh from a breakthrough metropolitan win at Sandown, Stephanie Thornton will try to add a first Flemington victory in the Rising Stars Final when she competes in a race against her fellow apprentice riders. The 18-year-old rode the 50th winner of her career and first at metropolitan level in Melbourne… Read More »
After expecting better from Divine Mr Artie in his return to racing, trainer Brendan McCarthy is looking for the gelding to produce his best form at Flemington. Premiership-chasing Craig Williams will be re-united with Divine Mr Artie in Saturday’s KA Morrison Handicap (1200m) having won two of his six rides… Read More »
Chris Waller will welcome Aquis Farm as a new client when Colosimo debuts for his all-conquering stable at Randwick. Colosimo, a promising two-year-old filly, lines up in the ATC Member For A Day Handicap after being switched from Eagle Farm trainer Steven O’Dea. “Aquis are starting to spread their wings,… Read More »
A decision on the status of Canberra trainers will not be made for at least three months. Racing NSW and the Canberra Racing Club met on Wednesday amid reports the trainers would be classified as provincial rather than country, ruling them out of the popular Highway Handicaps. The Canberra trainers… Read More »
Apprentice Beau Mertens remains positive ahead of the next instalment at Flemington in his bid to claim the Melbourne jockeys’ premiership. Mertens endured a frustrating day at Sandown on Wednesday where he had seven rides without a winner, finishing the meeting with five second placings and two thirds. It wasn’t… Read More »
Talented three-year-old Crack Me Up is a prime example of why so many trainers were upset about the state of the Eagle Farm track surface. Crack Me Up will be attempting to win his third stakes race when he takes on older horses in the Listed Tattersall’s Mile at Doomben… Read More »
Tough two-year-old Diomedes will continue a racing partnership which has covered three generations and more than half a century when he runs at Doomben. Diomedes, who runs in Saturday’s GH Mumm Handicap (1600m), is trained by Bryan and Daniel Guy for retired Sydney businessman Tony Valos. The Guys have lost… Read More »
Apprentice Brandon Stockdale says a mishap with a bucket of boiling water shouldn’t stop him from riding at Flemington. Stockdale had to forego five rides at Sandown after scalding his arm in the jockeys’ room on Wednesday. After riding in the opening race, Stockdale, who was suffering from a head… Read More »
Ben Currie has lost one of his stars in his quest to win the Queensland trainers’ title with top two-year-old Ilovevegas sold to Hong Kong. Ilovevegas would have been favourite for the G H Mumm Handicap (1600m) at Doomben on Saturday but instead is being prepared for his new venture…. Read More »
Apprentice Tiffani Brooker has a strong book of seven rides at Doomben on Saturday as she zeros in on two records to end the season. Brooker rode a double at Doomben on Wednesday to take her metropolitan season tally to 48 and her overall number of winners to 66 for… Read More »
Glyn Schofield will ride triple Group One winner Le Romain when he returns in the Group Two Missile Stakes at Randwick. Trainer Kris Lees has booked Schofield with Hugh Bowman unavailable because he is walking the Kokoda Track for charity with fellow jockeys Stephen Baster, Corey Brown and Kathy O’Hara… Read More »
Jockey Ana O’Brien is expected to be sidelined for three to four months recovering from back injuries suffered in a fall. O’Brien, the 21-year-old daughter of champion trainer Aidan O’Brien, came off in a race at Killarney on Tuesday. Her trainer brother Joseph issued a statement saying she was not… Read More »
Ongoing renovation works to the synthetic track at Pakenham has resulted in the transfer of a meeting to another country venue. The meeting on July 25 will now be run at Bairnsdale. Following the Pakenham meeting on July 14, the club initiated a maintenance and renovation program to address the… Read More »
Tasmanian mare Miss It And A Bit is a horse Victorian apprentice Stephanie Thornton will never forget. Miss It And A Bit gave Thornton her first city win in Melbourne in Wednesday’s Le Pine Funerals Handicap (1400m) at Sandown but the 18-year-old’s attachment stretches back to the start of her… Read More »
Blake Shinn has failed to ride a placegetter in his subdued return to Australian racing after an exceptional stint in the United States. The best the 29-year-old could do with his six rides on Wednesday at Warwick Farm was to take Pirate Ben to fourth. It was much different from… Read More »
