Murray Johnson travels full circle when Pure Pride goes around in the Listed Scone Cup. Although Melbourne-born and domiciled abroad for decades before resettling in Victoria, Scone has always been a home away from home for the trainer. “I first came here when I was 17 and just out of… Read More »
Premier Brisbane trainer Tony Gollan won’t have a runner in the Group One Doomben 10,000 but he still expects to be a major player in three stakes races on the program. Gollan had the biggest day of his career in 2014 when stablemates Spirit of Boom and Temple of Boom… Read More »
The Provincial Championship final was the intended pinnacle for Heavenly Anna this preparation, so the Group Three Dark Jewel Classic is an unexpected bonus for Kembla Grange trainer Kerry Parker. A start in a Group race seemed unlikely when the four-year-old finished midfield a month ago but a benchmark 76… Read More »
Injured apprentice rider Melanie Bolwell has been cleared to fly home to Sydney from the Gold Coast. Bolwell’s father Jason said doctors at the Gold Coast Hospital where his daughter has been for the past month, had cleared her to travel on a commercial flight in the company of a… Read More »
South Australian Derby ambitions have not eventuated for Fontein Lad with the gelding instead remaining in Victoria to chase a city win at Caulfield. The Greg Eurell-trained three-year-old was second emergency for Saturday’s Group One South Australian Derby (2500m) in Adelaide and was scratched after drawing the outside barrier. Instead,… Read More »
Buoyed by training his first winners for Godolphin at a midweek meeting in Sydney, Darren Beadman is now eyeing his first Group level success at Scone. Beadman started his stint as John O’Shea’s successor in style with Malahat and Bratislava scoring at Canterbury on Wednesday. He is confident four-year-old mare… Read More »
Trainer Chris Munce will rely on Ours To Keep to continue his run of stakes winning success after deciding to keep Saint Patricks Day for another day. Ours To Keep can give Munce his 10th juvenile race win of the season in the Group Two Champagne Classic (1200m) at Doomben… Read More »
After winning Adelaide’s first $1 million race, Melbourne trainer Mick Price has one of the leading chances for another Group One race at Morphettville. Price took out the Group One UBET Classic last week with Secret Agenda and on Saturday he saddles $6 equal second Luxbet favourite Netherfield in the… Read More »
Group One-winning jockey Katelyn Mallyon has been suspended for 17 days over her handling of a horse in a staying race at Moonee Valley. Mallyon was charged over her ride on the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Valediction in a 3000m race at Moonee Valley on February 3. Valediction became… Read More »
The recent performances of Magnapal look disappointing on paper but co-trainer Terry O’Sullivan is expecting an improved showing at Caulfield. The rising eight-year-old runs in the Ladbrokes Handicap (1600m) on Saturday, his third run back from a spell. O’Sullivan, who trains in partnership with his daughter Karina, says there have… Read More »
Jockey Larry Cassidy will feel nostalgic when he dons the colours for Doomben 10,000 hopeful Japonisme. Japonisme, who is trained by Chris Waller, carries the all cerise colours of the Ingham family who raced many famous horses under the Woodlands banner before Sheikh Mohammed bought the operation almost a decade… Read More »
Things are falling into place for trainers Peter and Paul Snowden as they begin what could be a record-breaking winter carnival with Russian Revolution and Redzel in the Group One Doomben 10,000 on Saturday. The father and son training partnership has swept all before them since starting out in 2014… Read More »
The Doomben track is expected to recover from overnight rain to be in the soft range for the first Group One meeting of the Brisbane carnival. Track manager Jim Roberts walked the track on Thursday morning and said some sections of the home straight were heavy but it was better… Read More »
Jockey Jim Orman will miss the Doomben Cup meeting after being suspended at Ipswich. Orman, who rode Hellaroo, pleaded guilty to causing interference to All Summer Long at the 200m in the final race on Wednesday. Stewards suspended Orman for eight days from midnight on Saturday which means he will… Read More »
The northern region of NSW has lost its second meeting in a few days with Ballina called off after 10mm fell to take the week’s total to 84mm. Murwillumbah was called off on Monday after one race and Ballina suffered the same fate on Thursday with three parts of the… Read More »
After watching the Kentucky Derby from the Churchill Downs stand as a fan, Chris Waller will be back to business at Scone. Louisville and Scone may seem worlds apart but the two-day carnival in the NSW Hunter Valley is close to Waller’s heart. The Scone crowd will be minuscule compared… Read More »
Apprentice Beau Mertens moved to within one win of the lead in the Melbourne jockeys’ premiership with a Sandown victory, but had his day soured by suspension. The Cranbourne-based apprentice trails five-time premiership winner Craig Williams who went winless on Wednesday. Mertens was successful aboard the Robbie Griffiths-trained Dance With… Read More »
Apprentice Jordan Childs has continued his impressive strike rate for trainer Archie Alexander as the pair prepare to chase a first Group One win in Adelaide. Childs will ride in a Group One race for the first time on Saturday aboard the Alexander-trained filly Wheal Leisure in the South Australian… Read More »
Richard Freedman has rolled back the racing years, training a winner at Canterbury. An integral part of the Freedman stable that dominated Australian racing in the 1990s, Freedman has spent the intervening years working in the media as well as administration But he is back in the training business, celebrating… Read More »
Darren Beadman is figuratively back in the saddle, taking little time to prepare his first winner as Godolphin’s interim trainer in Australia. A two-time winning Melbourne Cup jockey, Beadman was confirmed as John O’Shea’s Godolphinn replacement last weekend. In his first metropolitan meeting at Canterbury on Wednesday, Beadman watched on… Read More »
