With Melbourne jockeys unable to travel to Sydney to compete until further notice, the Anthony Freedman stable has locked in its riders for the opening day of The Championships. On Tuesday, Racing NSW announced the jockey pool in the state would be segregated into three regions – metropolitan, north, and… Read More »
New Zealand trainers can continue to work their horses while racing is shut down under government guidelines. From midnight Wednesday, New Zealand will move to COVID-19 alert level 4 with only essential services permitted to operate. NZ Thoroughbred Racing has issued a statement outlining conditions. “Our advice from the Ministry… Read More »
British trainers are being advised to continue exercising their horses and adhere strictly to social-distancing requirements, following Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s announcement of new measures to combat the spread of coronavirus. Johnson said the vast majority of the public must stay at home until further notice. A list of key… Read More »
Racing in Ireland has been cancelled for at least a month along with all other sports during the coronavirus crisis. The Flat season got underway earlier this week with the public locked out but the Irish government said it would be off until at least April 19. Racing in Britain… Read More »
Bookmakers are holding their breath as the billion-dollar sports betting industry also feels the pinch of the devastating coronavirus pandemic. As global sporting events grind to a halt so too do opportunities for punters to splash their cash, leaving bookies reeling from the fallout and scrambling to come up with… Read More »
Jockeys in NSW have been segregated into three geographical areas as authorities rally to keep the sport going during the coronavirus crisis. Race meetings continue behind closed gates with no spectators and only essential personnel on course. Most other sports have postponed or abandoned their fixtures. Interstate travel has been… Read More »
John Sargent will be pleasantly surprised if Aspect Ratio can cause a boilover in the Vinery Stud Stakes but believes the filly can be a genuine contender in the ATC Australian Oaks. Aspect Ratio is scheduled to run against star fillies Funstar and Probabeel in Saturday’s Group One Vinery Stud… Read More »
Already the winner of a record seven Doncaster Miles, star jockey Glen Boss is scheduled to partner three-year-old colt Brandenburg in pursuit of another. Boss, who claimed his seventh Doncaster Mile last year on three-year-old colt Brutal, has been confirmed to partner the John Sargent-trained Brandenburg in Saturday week’s $3… Read More »
Victorian trainer David Brideoake remains hopeful he can get Group One-winning mare Princess Jenni to Sydney despite new protocols regarding the movement of participants. Brideoake has Princess Jenni nominated for Saturday’s Group Two Emancipation Stakes (1600m) for fillies and mares at Rosehill as well as the Listed Golden Mile (1600m)… Read More »
New Zealand trainer Tony Pike has left three horses in Sydney to continue their autumn campaigns as he leads the fight to keep facilities open at home. The Bostonian, Sherwood Forest and Not An Option will continue to race over the autumn carnival for local trainers while Australian racing continues… Read More »
Harness racing in NSW has been put on hold pending the results of coronavirus tests on a person who attended the Penrith meeting last week. Harness Racing NSW said it was monitoring the health of that person after learning they had been in contact with someone who had tested positive… Read More »
Interstate jockeys will be locked out of NSW and local riders divided into three regions under enhanced biosecurity measures. The state’s jockey pool will be split into three regions – metropolitan; North (Gosford, Wyong, Newcastle, the Hunter & North West, Mid North Coast and Northern Rivers) and South West (Kembla… Read More »
Leading Brisbane jockey Jim Byrne has aggravated a leg injury and will not be able to ride for several weeks even if racing continues. Australian racing had introduced strict biosecurity measures in an attempt to keep the sport running throughout the coronavirus crisis. Byrne broke his left leg just below… Read More »
Multiple Australian Group One winner Atlantic Jewel has produced a Classic contender at Naas at the opening meeting of the Flat season in Ireland. While racing has been shut down in Britain, it is going ahead in Ireland behind closed doors with only necessary participants on course. The Aidan O’Brien-trained… Read More »
Official race trials in Victoria have been cancelled in the latest round of protocols announced by Racing Victoria in its efforts to help stop the spread of coronavirus. RV has also announced jump-outs at racetracks around the state will be restricted to local horses. Victoria had three sets of flat… Read More »
Trainer Mark Johnston says British authorities acted too soon to close racing down over the coronavirus pandemic. While racing continues to take place behind closed doors in Ireland and Northern Ireland, the ruling body of British racing last week announced a shutdown in the rest of the UK until the… Read More »
As other sports put their activities on hold, thoroughbred racing in Australia is set to continue for the time being behind closed gates and under strict protocols. The biggest jurisdictions, NSW, Victoria and Queensland, believe they can keep going with stringent conditions surrounding people and horses. Saturday’s Golden Slipper meeting… Read More »
Multiple Group One winner Gailo Chop is set to resume racing, but his trainer Matthew Williams is unsure where that will be. With Racing Victoria and Racing NSW announcing racing is set to continue while other sports are in shutdown because of the COVID-19 crisis, Williams has entered Gailo Chop… Read More »
Star fillies Funstar and Probabeel are set for their next Group One stoush with the score at one-all ahead of the Vinery Stud Stakes. Both step into unknown territory in Saturday’s 2000m Vinery Stud Stakes at Rosehill with neither having been to the distance before. Funstar beat the New Zealand… Read More »
Racing will continue in Queensland as participants hasten to get clarification on what a decision to close the state’s border means for horse and human movement. The Queensland border will be shut after Wednesday which causes problems for trainers on both sides. There were 16 Queensland trainers at the Murwillumbah… Read More »
