Fresh from his latest taste of Hong Kong racing, jockey Tommy Berry has confirmed he will return to Sha Tin for the prestigious International meeting in December. Berry reunited with the John Moore-trained Able Friend for the first time in almost three years, steering him to finish fourth in the… Read More »
Sydney businesswoman Angela Belle McSweeney has been elected to the board of the Australian Turf Club to the position vacated by former chairman Michael Crismale. Current ATC director Bill Evans has been re-elected with their four-year terms to begin on February 1 next year. McSweeney and Evans were among 12… Read More »
Three upcoming meetings on the troublesome inner track at Sandown have been transferred because of remedial works. The Melbourne Racing Club’s Lakeside course was due to host meetings on December 7, 14 and 21, but Racing Victoria on Thursday announced the Hillside track will now take the meetings on December… Read More »
Mick Price has 55 two-year-olds among the first acceptors for the 2017 Blue Diamond Stakes as he bids to emulate his success earlier this year when he trained the quinella. A record 686 juveniles from 1372 original nominations remain in contention after the first acceptance stage for the $1.5 million… Read More »
Having made the move from the Sunshine Coast, trainer John Zielke is ready to send out his first metropolitan runners from his new Toowoomba base. Zielke set a record for the most two-year-old winners trained in the state last season with 15 when he was based at the Sunshine Coast… Read More »
Tommy Berry is hoping Interstellar’s stakes potential can shine through at Rosehill as he looks to extend his solid form after an enforced holiday. The star jockey spent almost three weeks on the sidelines after Melbourne Cup day as he served two careless riding suspensions. Berry returned to metropolitan racing… Read More »
Lightly raced Lyuba gave Ben Allen a milestone win earlier this year and the emerging apprentice is looking forward to reuniting with her at Moonee Valley. Allen claimed his first city win on the Darren Weir-trained Lyuba at Sandown in April before finishing second on the filly at Caulfield later… Read More »
The only time Biased Witness ran over 1200 metres he clocked a track record. After two recent starts at shorter distances, the Robert Smerdon-trained three-year-old is again ready for 1200m which he gets in Saturday’s Art Series Hotel Group Handicap at Moonee Valley. At his second start in April, Biased… Read More »
Multiple stakes winner Hopfgarten has earned his top weight in the Recognition Stakes but trainer Robert Heathcote says he will have to reproduce one of his best recent runs to be competitive. Hopfgarten will be having his first start back in Queensland since a Melbourne spring campaign when he runs… Read More »
English jockey James Doyle will ride for Godolphin in Australia while James McDonald is under investigation over a betting offence. McDonald stood himself down after being charged with having an interest in a bet on star colt Astern in December last year. “While we continue to support James McDonald over… Read More »
The last time Beau Rada raced at Moonee Valley, he went within 0.02sec of winning his trainer John McArdle a new car. Moonee Valley hosts a 955m race at each of its night meetings and the horse posting the fastest time last season won their trainer a car. Beau Rada… Read More »
The talented but injury-prone Tumbler’s run of bad luck has continued with the mare scratched from a stakes race because of an elevated temperature. Trainer Barry Lockwood had high hopes Tumbler could win her first start in black-type company in Saturday’s Listed Colin McAlpine Memorial Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm…. Read More »
Officials say there is minimal risk to other horses at the Ballarat training centre despite a case of the infectious disease strangles at Matt Cumani’s stable. Cumani confirmed on Thursday one of his horses had been diagnosed with the contagious upper respiratory tract disease and been isolated. Racing Victoria steward… Read More »
Australian Rebel Dane is among 26 Group One winners confirmed for Hong Kong’s showcase International meeting at Sha Tin. All four winners of last year’s Group One races will defend their titles on December 11 with Rebel Dane to take on Peniaphobia in the Sprint (1200m). Highland Reel will attempt… Read More »
Australian Oaks winner Sofia Rosa is close to a return to training in New Zealand after a disappointing Melbourne spring campaign. Her trainer Stephen Marsh is looking to the mare to get back to top form and help fill the void left by the departure of NZ 2000 Guineas winner… Read More »
Horse trainers go to weird and wonderful lengths to find an edge and Brooke Somers may have unearthed the newest – Gregorian chants. Professional sporting stars around the world listen to music in the lead-up to matches to get the in the zone. And that was the tonic rookie trainer… Read More »
The horse trainer Wez Hunter describes as his best youngster of last season has kept her winning record intact at Sandown. While saying Magnatti was the best of his two-year-olds last season, Hunter resisted the temptation to rush her until she turned three. Magnatti made it two wins from as… Read More »
Disappointed trainer Colin Little will recommend bypassing a Moonee Valley race with last-start winner Domino Vitale after the mare came up with the widest barrier. Little said the final decision whether Domino Vitale ran in Saturday’s Ranvet Handicap (1600m) would be up to the mare’s owners but his preference would… Read More »
Trainer Liam Birchley will monitor the New Zealand racing news before committing impressive debut winner Tingle Marc to a trip across the Tasman. Tingle Marc ($3.30) led all the way to score an easy win in Wednesday’s Gallopers Sports Club Hcp (1110m) at Doomben. Birchley had pencilled in the Karaka… Read More »
Levi Kavanagh has prepared his first metropolitan winner with Soho Ruby scoring at Sandown. The filly, part-owned by his mother Isobel and wife Cara, also gave the trainer his first winner at Geelong earlier in the month. Ridden by Patrick Moloney, Soho Ruby fought hard to win Wednesday’s 1300m Schweppes… Read More »
