San Telmo has shown his trainer he is ready to run a strong 2200 metres in the Magic Millions Trophy after a solid performance at Doomben. San Telmo ran third in a good standard race over 2020m on Saturday at his second run back from a spell to give Brad… Read More »
A patient approach from James Cummings is paying off in style for promising colt Tactical Advantage. Tactical Advantage kept a perfect sequence since returning from a spell, holding off First Approval for his second successive win at Randwick on Monday. The three-year-old’s most important success came after he broke maiden… Read More »
Alter Call has booked a trip north to the Gold Coast for the Magic Millions race day with a narrow win at Caulfield. But trainer Mick Price admitted he had been expecting an easier win than the one that eventuated in the Joe Brown Plate on Monday. “I hope the… Read More »
Tiara Star is set to run in the Group Three BJ McLachlan Stakes at Eagle Farm in a last-ditch effort to make the Magic Millions Classic field. The Toby Edmonds-trained youngster lifted her prize money to $26,000 with an impressive win at the Sunshine Coast last Wednesday. But she is… Read More »
He might not be at the top of the tree at the Chris Waller stable but Amovatio more than holds his own in the pecking order. Since he began his career in May 2013, Amovatio has amassed almost $900,000 prize money with nine wins and 16 minor placings from his… Read More »
Flemington straight-track specialist The Quarterback is in the early stages of a preparation trainer Robbie Griffiths hopes can culminate in a Group One treble. The Quarterback has been back in work at Cranbourne trotting and cantering in preparation for a first-up tilt at the Lightning Stakes at Flemington in February…. Read More »
Smart Dart has earned his stripes for a tilt at a stakes race at Caulfield. The six-year-old has yet to race against black type company but gets the opportunity in the Listed Christmas Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Monday. Smart Dart deserves that chance, especially in an off-season race, having… Read More »
Champion jockey Damien Oliver will receive the baton in a handy position as he leads Western Australia in the final leg of the State of Origin jockeys series. The Parnham brothers, Brad and Chris, have represented WA in the first two legs of the three day series. However, Oliver will… Read More »
Group Three winner Turnitaround is taking a little longer than expected to recover from an unusual injury incurred in the Ballarat Cup. The Matthew Williams-trained gelding suffered heat stress in his unplaced Ballarat Cup effort last month but more worrying was the diagnosis of facial paralysis after the race. Williams… Read More »
Villiers Stakes winner Sense of Occasion will have to overcome a sharp weight rise if he is to claim a $100,000 bonus at Eagle Farm. Sense of Occasion won the Group Two Villiers Stakes with 54kg on December 17 and has been given an extra 4.5kg in Saturday’s Bernborough Quality… Read More »
Gary Moore says Takedown’s program towards an autumn goal will be rushed following his trip to Hong Kong but the trainer is optimistic he can get him ready. Takedown arrives back in Melbourne on Monday after spending the previous two weeks in quarantine in Hong Kong. He will undergo a… Read More »
James Innes’ win on Embley has taken him to the top of the Sydney apprentice jockeys’ premiership but his celebrations have been cut short by a suspension for the ride. Stewards gave him a four-meeting ban after determining Embley had shifted in and caused interference to Deanne Panya’s mount More… Read More »
Jeff Lloyd has continued to plunder the Brisbane jockeys’ premiership with another treble but it could have been even better at Doomben. Lloyd won on Houtzen ($1.90), Fuereza ($19) and Siegfried ($4.20) to be on 67 winners for the season after Saturday, 33 clear of second-placed Robbie Fradd. However, Lloyd… Read More »
While timing ruled Ecuador out of a Villiers Stakes tilt, the style of his dashing first-up win under a big weight has signalled the seven-year-old will remain a threat in stakes company. Trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, Ecuador carried 62kg and defied a betting drift from $9 to… Read More »
Annus Mirabilis may have earned a reprieve from jumps racing for the short-term with his victory in a staying contest at Sandown. The former Lloyd Williams-owned galloper was having his third start for new trainer Stuart Webb when successful in the OTI Racing Handicap on Saturday. Ridden by Regan Bayliss,… Read More »
Owner-breeder Michael Hibberd hopes the holidaying community at a beachside camping ground took his advice and backed Sandown winner Airalign. “I’m camping down at the beach at Rosebud which I have done all my life,” Hibberd said. “I tipped it to everybody in the campsite and hopefully they’ve all gone… Read More »
Apprentice Dylan Dunn has bounced back from a fall on Wednesday to put South Australia into contention for the State of Origin jockeys series. Dunn rode Binalong Road ($20) who stormed home to win the second heat in the Benchmark 80 (1350m) at Doomben on Saturday. The win lifted South… Read More »
Keith Dryden and Scott Collings have ticked off an important milestone, training Force Of Magic to win their first Sydney race since going into partnership earlier in the year. Force Of Magic scored an upset victory in Saturday’s Highway Handicap (1500m) at Rosehill, winning by a long neck after being… Read More »
Trainer Pat Hyland will set his sights higher with improving filly Fille Champagne after her fighting win at Sandown. Fille Champagne had to do it the tough way after a bumping duel with Lovani in the early stages of Saturday’s Blue Star Group Handicap. Apprentice Beau Mertens didn’t panic aboard… Read More »
Trainer Gary Portelli’s remarkable run with two-year-olds has continued with Falconic booking his place in the Magic Millions Classic by winning at Rosehill. Falconic’s win in Saturday’s two-year-old plate over 1200m made him the third individual Portelli-trained juvenile to score this season. The most impressive of those was She Will… Read More »
