Popular English trainer Alan Swinbank has died suddenly at the age of 62. Swinbank was a dual-purpose trainer renowned for turning classy National Hunt horses into Pattern contenders on the Flat, most notably Collier Hill who developed from a bumper and hurdles performer into a three-time Group One winner. Collier… Read More »
As convincing as Divine Quality has been winning her first two starts, trainer Robbie Griffiths still considers her next assignment a tough test for the up-and-coming filly. Divine Quality has emerged as a late-season find in the Victorian three-year-old ranks having stepped out to win a Bendigo maiden on debut… Read More »
Victory by Ipso Facto at Rosehill would be particularly welcome for trainer Mark Newnham givrn his association with the colt’s sire. Ipso Facto is a son of Pierro, a champion Newnham nurtured during his time as Gai Waterhouse’s right hand man at Tulloch Lodge. Rapt with an opportunity to prepare… Read More »
New Zealand studmaster Rodney Schick admits he is a little anxious with two Windsor Park recruits attempting to enhance their credentials in Australian Group One features. Vanbrugh and Rageese will stand the next breeding season at Schick’s Windsor Park Stud. Rageese runs in Saturday’s Goodwood Handicap (1200m) at Morphettville in… Read More »
Godolphin gelding Demonstrate gets another chance at a stakes breakthrough in the Listed Straight Six at Flemington. The four-year-old has been placed in four black-type races and returns for another shot at the Straight Six (1200m) on Saturday having been unplaced as favourite in the $120,000 race 12 months ago…. Read More »
Eleven racing identities will be formally inducted to the Australian Racing Hall Of Fame on Friday. Horses ARCHER: Won the first two Melbourne Cups in 1861 and 62 and still shares the greatest winning margin of eight lengths with 1968 winner Rain Lover. LIGHT FINGERS: Won the VRC and AJC… Read More »
Tegan Harrison will have to reproduce a top ride on Cabin Fever to help the Gillian Heinrich-Ben Rodgers training combination get its first stakes win. Harrison will be aboard two-year-old Cabin Fever in Satruday’s Listed Oxlade Two-Year-Old Plate (1200m). She produced a great ride to win on the filly at… Read More »
Black-type racing in Queensland is still in Bonny O’Reilly’s future plans, just not at Doomben this weekend. Trainer Bjorn Baker had intended to send the four-year-old north for the Listed Bright Shadow (1200m) on Saturday but an unfavourable barrier draw means she will race at Rosehill. After she came up… Read More »
After watching the last spring carnival unfold and only being a bit player, trainer Sam Pritchard-Gordon decided to do something about it. He headed off to the United Kingdom for a horses-in-training sale looking for a stayer and spring contender. He found Our Yangtze who makes his Australian debut at… Read More »
The Virginian takes an important step to a second attempt to win the Group One Stradbroke Handicap when he returns to racing at Doomben. The Virginian will make his much anticipated return to racing in Saturday’s Listed Chief De Beers Stakes (1050m). Trainer Toby Edmonds surprised many when he accepted… Read More »
Following her upset win over older mares at the Gold Coast, three-year-old With A Promise will take them on again at Doomben. Her trainer Ben Currie was not as surprised as punters when With A Promise won the Listed Silk Stocking on May 6 as an $81 chance. Her win… Read More »
First emergency Lucky Liberty has gained a start in the $1 million Group One Goodwood in Adelaide and trainer Henry Dwyer expects the talented gelding can run a big race. Local hope Viddora was scratched from Saturday’s Goodwood on Thursday morning because of a foot abscess, securing the Dwyer-trained Lucky… Read More »
Australian Racing Hall Of Fame inductee Lloyd Williams has paid trainer Chris Waller the highest compliment for his handling of champion mare Winx. Five-time Melbourne Cup-winning owner Williams and dual Cox Plate winner Winx were two of 11 new inductees into the Hall Of Fame announced on Wednesday. Williams said… Read More »
Less than two weeks into his new job, Darren Beadman is poised to become just the second person to ride and subsequently train a winner of the Doomben Cup. It is a feat achieved by the late Maurice McCarten when he trained Tossing to win the 1952 Cup. A Sydney… Read More »
More than eight years after making his racetrack debut, veteran Extra Zero is preparing to step out for his 100th race. Extra Zero reaches the milestone in Saturday’s Archer Hall of Fame Trophy over 2000m at Flemington. The rising 11-year-old, who has amassed more than $1.6 million prize money, made… Read More »
More than a month after she was seriously injured in a race fall, apprentice Melanie Bolwell is to be transferred to Sydney’s Liverpool Hospital from the Gold Coast. Her father Jason said she would be transferred on Friday after waiting for a bed to become available. She has been in… Read More »
Robert Heathcote is one of the few trainers hoping the predicted heavy rain arrives at Doomben for the Cup meeting. Heathcote has noted wet tracker Hopfgarten in the Group Three BRC Sprint (1350m) as a final lead-up to next month’s Group One Stradbroke Handicap. But Hopfgarten has drawn the second… Read More »
The third of trainer Darren Weir’s Doomben Cup runners has arrived safely in Brisbane from Melbourne after some tense times with travel delays. Amelie’s Star and her stablemates Kenedna and Ulmann, who are also racing at Doomben on Saturday, have been waiting for a confirmed flight all week. Doomben Cup… Read More »
Results from a report into gender diversity in racing has served as a stark reminder more needs to be done within the sport, the British Horseracing Authority says. The report, which was commissioned by Women in Racing, found that progress is being made as greater numbers of women enter the… Read More »
A filly who chased home subsequent Group One winner Egg Tart at her most recent start will be out to end her campaign on a winning note when she returns to Flemington. Trainer Archie Alexander has early favourite Spanner Head in Saturday’s Winx Hall of Fame Trophy (1600m) after deciding… Read More »
