He has a Scandinavian-inspired name, has raced in England and Ireland and now Norway is set to make his Australian debut for a locally-based New Zealander. A week after winning the Ajax Stakes with former Aidan O’Brien horse Imaging, premier Sydney trainer Chris Waller will be looking to repeat the… Read More »
New Zealand Derby winner Sherwood Forest will be out to stamp his credentials for the Australian equivalent when he makes his Sydney debut in the Group One Rosehill Guineas. And trainer Tony Pike believes if Sherwood Forest’s rivals have a hard time beating him over 2000m on Saturday, he will… Read More »
Having fought off a serious lung infection and possible retirement, Runson will attempt a second successive stakes race win when he runs at Mornington. Runson returned to form winning the Listed Matrice Stakes at Morphettville on March 9 and backs up on Saturday in the Listed Hareeba Stakes (1200m). Once… Read More »
Growing up in a racing family, horses have always been part of John Thompson’s life but he clearly remembers the first race to make an impact on him. It was the 1983 Golden Slipper and Been There, trained by his father Vic Thompson, finished second to the great Sir Dapper…. Read More »
Trainer Mike Moroney is expecting a much better showing from Hawker Hurricane in the Darby Munro Stakes after admitting he got it wrong with the sprinter’s return at Flemington. Hawker Hurricane resumed from a spell in the Listed Moomba Plate (1100m) on his home track on March 7 and was… Read More »
Despite the fact dual Australian Cup winner Harlem has not won this preparation, his co-trainer Tom Dabernig is adamant he is going as well as he ever has for Lindsay Park. Whether that can translate into victory in Saturday’s Mornington Cup, Dabernig is unsure. Harlem won the 2018 and 2019… Read More »
Biosecurity conditions will force trainer Jamie Richards to watch Te Akau Shark’s George Ryder Stakes bid from afar but the measures could favour one of the star galloper’s rivals. Richards has opted to base himself at home in New Zealand following the introduction of strict 14-day quarantine measures for those… Read More »
Trainer Chris Anderson has inked in winter plans for one of his star three-year-olds but is monitoring interstate travel arrangements for another. Anderson has two of the best three-year-olds in Queensland with Profit and Ballistic Boy. Profit will have his second run back from a break in the Chairman’s Club… Read More »
Trainer Steve Tregea believes Prioritise is a perfect example of statistics not always telling the true story. Prioritise will be having his 12th start for the season when he tackles Saturday’s Open Handicap (1500m) at Eagle Farm. Prioritise finds himself in the unusual situation of carrying top weight after originally… Read More »
The depth of trainer Tony Gollan’s three-year-old ranks is again emphasised as he prepares four runners for the Ascot Green Handicap at Eagle Farm. The three-year-old races in Brisbane have been competitive in the off-season and Saturday’s Ascot Green (1000m) is no different. Gollan accepted with Le Palmier, Air Spirit,… Read More »
The British Horseracing Authority is formulating a plan for financial assistance to participants with the closure of racing. BHA chief executive Nick Rust has promised the sport “will not be beaten” by the shutdown which has been instituted during the coronavirus pandemic. Rust’s reassurance came in a BHA progress report… Read More »
The United Arab Emirates has suspended all sporting events to prevent the spread of coronavirus, raising doubts about whether the Dubai World Cup will go ahead this month. Many professional and amateur sporting events across the country have already been cancelled because of the deadly virus. Dubai World Cup organisers… Read More »
A group of 25 jockeys has agreed to enhanced biosecurity measures to ensure the continuation of racing in Victoria. The 25 will abstain from trackwork, jump-outs and barrier trials and only ride on race days in a bid to minimise the chances of a jockey contracting covid-19 and to keep… Read More »
Two scratchings from the Golden Slipper have paved the way for jockey Daniel Stackhouse to get a career-changing opportunity in the $3.5 million race on Minhaaj. The second emergency’s place in Saturday’s race was confirmed when Cellsabeel was withdrawn on Thursday morning, a day after the Chris Waller-trained Global Quest… Read More »
Kris Lees has secured a third runner for the Provincial Championship Final with Asharani winning a qualifying heat at her home track of Newcastle. The 1200-metre race was scheduled to be held at Gosford last Saturday but was washed out and added to Thursday’s Newcastle program. Starting the $3.60 favourite,… Read More »
James Cummings believes Avilius is on target for his defence of the Ranvet Stakes at Rosehill but the Godolphin trainer is wary of a well-performed international visitor. Avilius returned to Sydney after running fifth in the Group One Australian Cup on March 7 and the six-year-old will be chasing back-to-back… Read More »
Trainer Mike Moroney reckons jockey Michael Dee will be out to make amends in the Group One Galaxy on Tofane after a luckless unplaced run in the Newmarket Handicap. Tofane finished seventh in the recent Group One Newmarket (1200m) but Moroney believes the mare should have finished closer after striking… Read More »
A 10-hour, one-way road trip with a rival jockey is not the Golden Slipper preparation either Hugh Bowman or Tommy Berry would choose. But Bowman figures there are worse people to spend a long-haul journey with than the affable Berry. “If you can’t get on with Tommy Berry then you’ve… Read More »
Mornington Cup day is special for local trainer Tony Noonan who is hoping to rekindle some good memories when Manolo Blahniq runs in the feature sprint. Noonan won three successive Cups with Gunnamatta but is yet to win the day’s feature short-course race, the Listed Hareeba Stakes. Manolo Blahniq lines… Read More »
John Thompson will have one runner in the Group One George Ryder Stakes at Rosehill but he reckons his stable can produce the trifecta. Thompson will saddle up Dreamforce in Saturday’s feature but can also lay some claim to two key rivals. The Randwick conditioner is hosting the Te Akau… Read More »
