Promising filly Egg Tart could turn out to be something of an appetiser for Chris Waller as he broadens his horizons to Adelaide, and beyond. Although Sydney’s premier trainer will be in the northern hemisphere watching the Kentucky Derby, South Australia also features prominently this weekend as Egg Tart seeks… Read More »
Sahara Eagle will be on trial for the Queensland Derby when he takes to the track at Rosehill. Renowned trainer of stayers, John Sargent, is using Saturday’s 1800m-handicap as a stepping stone to test the three-year-old gelding’s credentials for Brisbane. “Saturday will tell whether we’ll go to Brisbane for a… Read More »
The first Saturday in May is a significant one on the world racing calendar – Kentucky Derby day. Seymour trainer Murray Johnson is fortunate enough to have been a part of the famous race – not once, but twice. This weekend marks 15 years since the Johnson-trained Perfect Drift finished… Read More »
Trainer Desleigh Forster is hoping the Sydney autumn carnival form is a good guide so she can become only the second Queensland trainer to win the Hollindale Stakes at the Gold Coast. Forster will saddle last-start Toowoomba Cup winner Cylinder Beach in Saturday’s Group Two Hollindale (1800m). Chris Jordan became… Read More »
Rain has hit Churchill Downs at the start of an expected a three-day stretch of wet weather leading up to the Kentucky Derby. The outlook for the Kentucky Oaks on Friday (Saturday AEST) isn’t encouraging, with a 60 per cent chance of rain forecast. But there are two silver linings…. Read More »
Champion trainer Darren Weir has topped the 350 mark for winners trained in a season, eclipsing his previous record. Weir set a Commonwealth record in the 2015/16 season of 348 winners, with his last winner coming in July, the final month of the racing season. The victory of Stylish Miss… Read More »
Regina Coeli has emulated her elder half-brother Al Garhood by becoming a dual winner of Warrnambool’s gruelling Grand Annual Steeplechase. The winner of the 2015 Grand Annual, Regina Coeli led throughout under John Allen in Thursday’s 5500m test of stamina over 33 obstacles. Sent off at $18, the mare toughed… Read More »
Jim Byrne will resume a 30-year association when he rides Steel Zip for his former master Pat Duff at the Gold Coast. Veteran Steel Zip will be having his 82nd start but only his second with Byrne in the saddle when they contest the Listed Prime Minister’s Cup at the… Read More »
High Church has given Darren Weir a fourth-straight win in the Warrnambool Cup, the feature flat race of the famous three-day carnival. The win on Thursday followed victories by Akzar (2014), Tall Ship (2015) and Master Of Arts last year. Ridden by Damian Lane, High Church was heavily supported to… Read More »
Queensland Derby hopes will be put to the test when Top Of The Range races in the clockwise direction for the first time at Rosehill. The lightly raced Mike Moroney-trained gelding has won both his starts this campaign, a Pakenham maiden and Sandown midweek race, and the Flemington trainer believes… Read More »
Chris Waller won’t be a casual observer at Churchill Downs this weekend for the Kentucky Derby. It’s not his style. Sydney’s premier trainer flew to the United States on Wednesday for what could best be described as a working holiday, or in racing manager Charlie Duckworth’s view – a fact-finding… Read More »
Godolphin has been trying to win the Kentucky Derby since 1999, and Thunder Snow is Sheikh Mohammed’s strongest chance yet, trainer Saeed bin Suroor says. Saeed has sent seven of nine Godolphin contenders to the Derby but says he has “been waiting for this moment for a long time”. “Thunder… Read More »
Jockey Josh Oliver’s bond with tough mare Col ‘N’ Lil has earned him a shot at the biggest win of his career at the Gold Coast. Oliver, who has ridden around 110 winners since coming to Toowoomba from New Zealand about 16 months ago, has been entrusted with the ride… Read More »
An impressive debut from Divine Quality at Bendigo came as no surprise to her trainer Robbie Griffiths who is now preparing the filly for a tougher assignment in town. Divine Quality won a fillies 1100m-maiden by three lengths on April 19 and is the early favourite for Saturday’s Indian Summer… Read More »
Tommy Berry’s decision to ride Beyond Thankful in the Lord Mayor’s Cup has the Chris Waller stable optimistic the veteran will perform at Rosehill. Waller’s racing manager Charlie Duckworth said engaging Berry was encouraging as the seven-year-old continued his preparation to the Listed McKell Cup at Rosehill on May 27…. Read More »
Trainer Stuart Kendrick hopes to convert his best season to date into more black-type winners starting with Divine Centuri at the Gold Coast. Kendrick brought up his 70th winner for the season last week and is currently second on the Queensland premiership behind Tony Gollan. He has gradually built up… Read More »
Under The Louvre will run in a handicap at Flemington despite having to carry a big weight with trainer Robert Smerdon keen to get the horse up and going before a return to the Brisbane winter carnival. Under The Louvre, who won the Stradbroke Handicap last year, is set to… Read More »
Helen Page has trained Group winners and a Melbourne Cup placegetter but tough gelding Rudy remains one of her all-time favourite horses. Page, who was the first woman to train a Melbourne Cup placegetter when Magnolia Hall was third in 1991, has even renamed her Gold Coast stable Rudy Lodge…. Read More »
Champion trainer Darren Weir has equaled his Commonwealth record of 348 wins in a season with the victory of Try Four at Warrnambool. Try Four won the opening race on Thursday, the final day of Warrnambool’s three-day carnival, the Champion Novice Hurdle over 3200m. The victory gave Weir his 10th… Read More »
Trainer Les Ross is looking for a change of luck with River Racer when she runs in the Group Three Gold Coast Guineas. River Racer ran her sixth second in a 12-race career when beaten a nose by Guineas rival Tiyatrolani at Doomben in the Listed Mick Dittman Plate two… Read More »
