Racing Victoria chief steward Terry Bailey has blamed a backlog at the testing laboratory for the delays in telling trainers Danny O’Brien and Mark Kavanagh about their cobalt positives. Bailey said the delay was “certainly not ideal” but came down to Perth’s ChemCentre being inundated with samples from across Australia…. Read More »
Revolving Door will wear blinkers as tries to press his claims for the Caulfield Guineas when he runs in a Listed race at Flemington. Trainer Clinton McDonald believes the time is right to try the blinkers in Saturday’s Starlight Express Room Stakes (1400m). McDonald says he has always thought Revolving… Read More »
Jockey Noel Callow has been cleared to ride at Mornington after being interviewed by Racing Victoria stewards. RV senior steward Robert Cram said Callow was interviewed in a closed hearing at Sandown on Wednesday over reports he had been detained in Malaysia last month. Callow failed to attend a Cranbourne… Read More »
In-form apprentice Josh Oliver has gained the ride on emerging three-year-old Ringo’s A Rockstar at Doomben with regular jockey Matt Gray recovering from shoulder surgery. Gray mainly rides at the country and provincial meetings in South East Queensland but made the trip to Doomben last Saturday week to ride Ringo’s… Read More »
Racing Victoria chief steward Terry Bailey has denied fabricating elevated TCO2 readings as the reason trainer Danny O’Brien’s horses were held back after a 2013 race meeting. O’Brien and Mark Kavanagh’s barrister Damian Sheales has told the trainers’ appeal against their cobalt disqualifications that Bailey should not be believed. Bailey… Read More »
TJ Smith Stakes runner-up Fell Swoop is set to trial at Warwick Farm as he tunes up for the Melbourne spring carnival’s rich sprint races. Canberra trainer Matt Dale said Fell Swoop would have the first of two trials on Friday ahead of the Group Two Schillaci Stakes at Caulfield… Read More »
Black Heart Bart headlines a field of 13 for the Group One Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington. One of three runners in Saturday’s weight-for-age race for Victoria’s premier trainer Darren Weir, last-start Memsie Stakes winner Black Heart Bart has barrier eight while stablemates Palentino and Prince Of Penzance have five… Read More »
Racing Victoria chief steward Terry Bailey has backed the regulator’s head vet regarding cobalt. Bailey will continue giving evidence in four trainers’ appeals against their cobalt disqualifications on Wednesday, before Racing Victoria chief vet Dr Brian Stewart takes the stand. Victoria brought in a cobalt threshold in April 2014, ahead… Read More »
Trainer Kris Lees is hoping Damien Oliver will make an early commitment to ride Lucia Valentina in the Underwood Stakes. The mare pleased the trainer in a Wyong barrier trial on Tuesday when she worked home late under Andrew Gibbons ahead of her next race in the Group One Underwood… Read More »
Racing Victoria chief steward Terry Bailey has admitted the rules of racing were not “followed to the letter” in testing for cobalt. Bailey blamed Victorian lab Racing Analytical Services Ltd for the decision to split urine samples for testing, which he admitted did not “strictly” follow the racing rules. “That’s… Read More »
Hong Kong champion Joao Moreira will ride Golden Rose favourite Omei Sword as she attempts to become the first filly to win the race since it was elevated to Group One status seven years ago. After drawing barrier three, the Chris Waller-trained filly assumed $3.20 favouritism for Saturday’s $1 million… Read More »
Racing Victoria chief steward Terry Bailey admits the rules of racing were not “strictly” followed in testing for cobalt. Racing Analytical Services Ltd wanted urine samples divided with one sent to Perth-based ChemCentre for cobalt testing and RASL testing for other prohibited substances. Bailey said the procedure did not “strictly”… Read More »
NEW MINIMUM PRIZE MONEY LEVELS FOR NSW THOROUGHBREDS * Group One – $500,000 * Group Two – $200,000 * Group Three – $150,000 * Listed Races – $125,000 Metropolitan * Saturday – $100,00 * Public Holiday – $50,000 * Midweek – $40,000 *Provincial- $30,000 Country * Showcase meetings – $30,000… Read More »
Champion mare Winx is likely to run in a barrier trial at Warwick Farm to sharpen her fitness ahead of the Group One George Main Stakes. Trainer Chris Waller opted to avoid the heavy Randwick track and scratch Winx from the Chelmsford Stakes on Saturday. Winx’s next start is to… Read More »
The misfortune of jockey Brad Rawiller has given Damien Oliver a great chance to win the Group One Makybe Diva Stakes for the second year running. Oliver is looking forward to riding favourite Black Heart Bart in Saturday’s 1600m weight-for-age feature at Flemington having picked up the mount last week… Read More »
Missrock could join stablemate Jaws Of Steel in a first-up assault on the Danehill Stakes at Flemington. Trainer Robbie Laing planned to start Missrock’s spring campaign in Saturday’s Cap D’Antibes Stakes but is having second thoughts. “It was always the intention to run her in the Cap D’Antibes but I… Read More »
Racing Victoria does not notify trainers about positive screen results because the early results can be unreliable, a cobalt appeal has heard. Chief steward Terry Bailey said RV does not tell trainers about positives for any prohibited substance until it gets the first analysis certificate. “Screening levels we’ve found in… Read More »
With spring in the air late bloomer Hermosa Beach will face her biggest test at Canterbury. Hermosa Beach has won a Highway race at Randwick, competed in a $100,000 Country Championship Qualifier and in midweek company at Warwick Farm, but trainer Matt Dale believes Wednesday’s benchmark race over 1250m will… Read More »
Country Championship winner Clearly Innocent is closing in on his race return with trainer Greg Bennett pleased with his progress. The five-year-old, who hasn’t raced since winning the Listed Luskin Star Stakes (1300m) at Scone on May 14 after his big win at Randwick, will kick off his campaign in… Read More »
A sharp gallop by Hardham has convinced trainer Mick Price to change his plans with the colt and run him in the Danehill Stakes. Price was originally going to wait until the Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m) after Hardham’s midfield finish in the McNeil Stakes last Saturday week. But after the… Read More »
