Well-backed Godolphin three-year-old Khaki has made an encouraging introduction to Melbourne racing, taking the step from a Kembla Grange maiden to win stylishly at Flemington. Khaki broke his maiden in convincing fashion in NSW last month in his first start of the campaign before the Godolphin team pinpointed Saturday’s Dorevitch… Read More »
My Psychiatrist has made a remarkable fightback, climbing off the canvas at Rosehill and putting herself in the frame for a stakes debut. Trainer Joe Pride scored a race-to-race double after My Psychiatrist stepped out to 2000m for the first time and won the ATC Members Christmas Handicap on Saturday…. Read More »
Michael Rodd has continued his stellar form in his brief Brisbane visit to ensure NSW made a flying start in the State of Origin jockeys series at Eagle Farm. Rodd, who rode four winners at Doomben on Friday, steered comeback horse Arki ($9) to a close win in the first… Read More »
Apprentice Jack Martin won’t forget his first ride at Flemington. It landed him a winner carrying the colours of Melbourne Cup-winning owner Lloyd Williams aboard the well supported Goathland in Saturday’s Vaughan Constructions Handicap. Martin gave the Irish-bred Goathland ($3.20) a perfect ride in third position before gaining a split… Read More »
An impressive first-up win to Divine Mr Artie has provided a tonic for trainer Brendan McCarthy who broke his arm when kicked by a horse. Jockey Craig Williams was impressed by the way the four-year-old gelding returned to racing in Saturday’s Plenary Group Handicap (1200m) and is convinced the Group… Read More »
The decision to give I Told Georgie a tree-change has paid dividends with the mare breaking through to win the Highway Handicap at Rosehill. I Told Georgie was originally trained by Ron Quinton who recommended she be sent to Goulburn trainer Danny Williams after he felt she wasn’t up to… Read More »
Chris Waller knows better than most trainers what it takes to win a Group race and he believes Zumbelina has the necessary attributes after she made it four wins on the trot at Rosehill. Sent out the $2.40 favourite, Zumbelina stalked the speed before jockey Brenton Avdulla pulled her into… Read More »
The Matt Laurie-trained Electric Tribute has upset odds-on favourite Galaxy Raider , courtesy of a well-judged front-running ride by Dwayne Dunn at Flemington. Electric Tribute ($10) went into Saturday’s Cafe Adamo Handicap (1600m) after a last-start win at Kilmore over 1450m and Dunn was able to control the race from… Read More »
Smart filly Colosimo could carry blinkers in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic after her impressive win at Eagle Farm. Colosimo ($2.70) made it two wins from two starts when she beat Go Daisy ($17) by 3/4 length with the same margin to Bold Kingston ($4.80) on Saturday. The win took… Read More »
Attending one of the second-tier yearling sales has proven beneficial for trainer Darren Weir and his friends. Lyuba, winner of Saturday’s Lanec Services Handicap at Flemington, recorded her fifth win from seven starts and took her prize money past $200,000. All from a $2000 yearling purchase at the 2014 Melbourne… Read More »
Chauffeur has started the long road to living up to his $1.6 million price tag, driving up the rail to win on debut. Trainer Gerald Ryan said he had no doubt about the horse’s ability after he took out Saturday’s two-year-old handicap at Rosehill over 1100m. “Last year when we… Read More »
Stewards have lifted the ban on one of Matt Cumani’s barns at Ballarat, allowing the trainer a return to racing. A case of strangles detected last month in the Cumani yard saw his stable quarantined. Horses in the stable of James Wardeiner were also banned using Ballarat’s training facilities. But… Read More »
Multiple Group One winning jockey Michael Rodd has celebrated his return to Brisbane racing by riding an early quartet at Doomben. Rodd won the first three races on Love To Live ($31) for trainer Barry Baldwin, Bryan Guy’s Eastern Parade ($2.20) and Les Kelly’s Prince of the Turf ($3.80). He… Read More »
As the Christmas/New Year racing period approaches the Flemington stable of cousins Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra invariably makes an impact. Last year after a quiet spring they had a successful December culminating in four winners at Flemington on New Year’s Day. With a little over three weeks left this… Read More »
Honest mare Beatniks is one of the few runners in Saturday’s Listed Just Now Quality who won’t be affected by Brisbane’s weather lottery. Beatniks indicated she was back in form when she resumed with a strong third in the Listed Colin McAlpine Memorial Stakes at Eagle Farm two weeks ago…. Read More »
David Hayes has a couple of Derbys in mind for First Amendment who will face his biggest test when he makes his city debut at Flemington. First Amendment broke his maiden over 1600m at Ballarat on November 21 at his fourth start and while Hayes admits the gelding faces a… Read More »
NSW has been installed favourite to win the second UBET State of Origin jockeys series which starts at Eagle Farm. Riders from Queensland, NSW, Victoria, South Australia, West Australia and New Zealand will take part in the series which will have two designated races over three days starting on Saturday…. Read More »
In a sport steeped in family tradition Irish jockey Leigh Roche is the exception rather than the rule. “There’s no background of horses or racing in my family at all,” Roche told AAP. “I’m the black sheep of the family.” The 24-year-old is on a three-month stint with Sydney’s premier… Read More »
Greg Eurell admits he expected a little more from Ma Deuce in his return at Ballarat but the Cox Plate-winning trainer also knows there’s no substitute for match practice. And with that, Eurell is confident of a much-improved showing from Ma Deuce when he lines up at Flemington on Saturday… Read More »
Veteran Sydney sprinter Dances on Stars is expected to respond to a new training regime when he begins his seventh Queensland campaign at Eagle Farm. Seven-year-old Dances on Stars, a regular visitor in the summer and winter, will be having his 17th start in Queensland in Saturday’s Open Quality (1500m)…. Read More »
