Star Queensland sprinter Buffering is in the corner of the Western Bulldogs ahead of the AFL Grand Final. Nine-year-old Buffering made his choice at Flemington on Thursday morning, ahead of the Group One Moir Stakes at Moonee Valley on Friday night. Buffering was led by trainer Robert Heathcote’s travelling foreperson… Read More »
Omei Sword has been ruled out of the Group One Flight Stakes with a respiratory infection. The Chris Waller-trained filly was odds-on favourite for Saturday’s race at Randwick after finishing second to Astern in the Golden Rose on September 10. Waller told Racing NSW Stewards on Thursday the infection was… Read More »
Darren Weir has been forced to abort the Melbourne Cup campaign of quality stayer Signoff. Weir says Signoff has a niggling injury and a bit of heat at the back of his knee, and the trainer has told stewards the horse’s spring campaign is over. “It’s not serious but it’s… Read More »
Cox Plate contender Black Heart Bart has had his first look around Moonee Valley, pleasing trainer Darren Weir in a solo gallop. John Allen put Black Heart Bart through his paces in a hit-out on Thursday morning and Weir said the gelding handled the track without any issues. Black Heart… Read More »
New Zealand mare Fanatic will be out to enhance her Caulfield Cup chances when she runs in the Group One Livamol Classic at Hawkes Bay. Her training partners Graeme Sanders and Debbie Sweeney believe Fanatic will improve over the 2040 metres of Saturday’s race after two unplaced runs over 1400… Read More »
National Hunt racing has been rocked by a split between champion Irish trainer Willie Mullins and owners Gigginstown House Stud. Mullins said Gigginstown’s owners, Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary and his brother Eddie, refused to pay an increase in training fees and had removed around 60 horses from the stable. “I… Read More »
Heartbreak City is to be prepared for the Melbourne Cup after Thoroughbred Bloodstock Australia bought an interest in the Irish-trained Ebor winner. Original owners, Here For The Craic Partnership, have retained an interest in the six-year-old who will continue to be trained by his current handler Tony Martin. Heartbreak City… Read More »
Trainer Danny O’Brien has told his cobalt appeal hearing he deliberately withheld information because he did not trust Racing Victoria. O’Brien and fellow trainer Mark Kavanagh are appealing their respective four and three year cobalt disqualifications before the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal. On Wednesday, O’Brien said he had not… Read More »
A strong exhibition gallop has convinced trainer John Thompson that Sir John Hawkwood will be fighting out the finish in the Group One Metropolitan Handicap. Saturday’s $750,000 race at Randwick is the horse’s first outing in Group One company. Thompson said his consistency and performance around the stable boded well… Read More »
Days before the 20th anniversary of Filante’s Epsom Handicap win, the White family’s colours have flashed down the outside for another victory on a Sydney racecourse. And the latest winner with white silks and a purple star appears to be heading back towards stakes grade for trainer Gary Frazer. Spright… Read More »
A horse trained by Terry and Karina O’Sullivan has returned an illegal level of cobalt for the second time. Darragh, who is already the subject of a Racing Victoria investigation for his high level recorded in November last year, is one of two horses from the stable to return elevated… Read More »
Buffering needs to do something he has never done before if he is to claim an historic fourth Moir Stakes victory. The Queensland star’s rivals in Friday night’s 1000m Group One sprint include the world’s highest-ranked sprinter – Chautauqua – who Buffering has been unable to beat home in their… Read More »
Apprentice jockey Blaike McDougall has been cleared of any wrongdoing after stewards found there were no integrity issues on a race in which his mount was narrowly beaten. McDougall was grilled by Racing NSW stewards over the vigour of his ride on Arise Augustus after the horse was beaten by… Read More »
Chris Waller will aim to tighten his stranglehold on the Epsom Handicap when he saddles up four live chances. While McCreery is the most fancied of the quartet, Sydney’s premier trainer can make a case for Mackintosh, Vanbrugh and Torgersen to win Saturday’s $1 million Group One race over the… Read More »
Happy Trails will front up for the fifth-straight year in the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington and his trainer Paul Beshara believes the veteran is still up for the fight. “He is the Rocky Balboa of the racing world,” Beshara said. “He’s there all the time. No matter how old he… Read More »
In-form Godolphin-owned gelding Hartnell is one of nine Group One winners among a field of 13 for the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington. Hartnell will be making his first Melbourne appearance of the season in Sunday’s 2000m Group One race and has barrier four while last year’s winner Preferment is next… Read More »
The world’s top-ranked sprinter Chautauqua headlines a field of nine for the Group One Moir Stakes at Moonee Valley. Chautauqua, who makes his season return in Friday night’s 1000m weight-for-age sprint, has drawn barrier five with three-time Moir winner Buffering alongside him in gate six. Three-year-old Extreme Choice has the… Read More »
As Gai Waterhouse aims for her ninth Metropolitan Handicap win, Dee I Cee is one of three chances to give training partner Adrian Bott his first Group One success. If Dee I Cee can win the $750,000 race at Randwick, Waterhouse will extend her record 24 years after she got… Read More »
Amarela holds a nomination for the Stocks Stakes at Moonee Valley but trainer Nigel Blackiston plans to wait to step her up to Group company. Instead of Friday night’s Group Two Stocks Stakes (1600m) for mares, Amarela will run in a benchmark 84 race over 1400m at Caulfield on Saturday…. Read More »
A few months ago it seemed Buffering might have run his last race but the durable veteran has surprised even his trainer as he heads to Moonee Valley to try to win the Moir Stakes for a fourth time. And with no Queensland team in this weekend’s NRL grand final… Read More »
