Dual Grand National-winning jockey Leighton Aspell has announced his retirement. The 43-year-old said on Saturday his last rides would be at Fontwell the following day. Aspell initially hung up his saddle in 2007, but returned made a comeback in 2009 – a move which proved highly lucrative with his best… Read More »
Jockey Damien Oliver will miss the Newmarket Handicap and Australian Cup meeting after being suspended for careless riding at Caulfield. Oliver was suspended for his ride on Harlem in the Peter Young Stakes (1800m) on Saturday after shifting in onto Regal Power near the 1600m mark. His suspension starts after… Read More »
Although he had weight of numbers on his side, trainer Mitch Beer has breathed a sigh of relief with Sky Call safely into the Country Championship final. The trainer had six runners in the Southern Districts qualifying heat at Albury on Saturday but after failing to win a race earlier… Read More »
Miss Siska has continued her path towards the Australian Cup with another fighting win at Caulfield to remain unbeaten for the campaign. After a first-up win at Caulfield on February 8, Miss Siska added Saturday’s Group Two Peter Young Stakes (1800m) to her record. Trainer Grahame Begg said the mare… Read More »
Hawkes Racing concede it might be tempted to pursue some lofty autumn goals with Master Of Wine after his dazzling return over a sprint trip at Rosehill. While the emerging staying star is on a long-range path towards the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup in the spring, co-trainer Michael Hawkes… Read More »
Described by his trainer as a horse who just “eats and sleeps”, Brandenburg has also shown he is pretty good at galloping with a boilover win in the Hobartville Stakes. Up against a field boasting five Group One winners and some of the best three-year-olds in the country, Brandenburg defied… Read More »
Coming from New Zealand three-and-a-half years ago to set up a stable at Cranbourne, partners Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young were pigeon-holed as trainers of stayers. With a focus on sprinters in Australia, Busuttin and Young set about changing the belief they could only train distance horses by becoming buyers… Read More »
Flying gelding Boom Chicka Boom again proved good barriers are the key to his chances with his impressive win at Eagle Farm. Boom Chicka Boom ($5) made it five wins when starting from from barrier one when he led all of the way to win the Mullins Lawyers Open (1000m)…. Read More »
Te Akau Racing has produced a one-two finish in the Group One Hanui Farm Classic at Otaki with Avantage beating Prise De Fer. The quinella came shortly before stable star Melody Belle ran third in the Group One Futurity at Caulfield in Melbourne. The Jamie Richards-trained Avantage and Prise De… Read More »
Import Mustajeer has shown his hand early with a superb return to win the Parramatta Cup at Rosehill, putting himself on a Group One autumn path. The former European was brought to Australia as a Cups horse last spring and while those dreams did not materialise, the gelding appears poised… Read More »
Four-year-old mare Pippie has given the track record a shake with a performance of pure speed to win the Group One Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield. Ridden by Linda Meech for the John and Chris Meagher training partnership, the lightly weighted Pippie ($12) began brilliantly from a wide draw to lead… Read More »
Owner Kim McCasker’s insistence apprentice Baylee Nothdurft rode Violet even though he can no longer claim paid off when the filly won at Eagle Farm. Nothdurft brought Violet ($2.60) through the field from last to beat Cosmic Haze ($11) by a length in the Pipeline Pharmacy Three-Year-Old (1800m). Trainer Michael… Read More »
The Golden Slipper picture has taken a dramatic turn at Rosehill with early favourite Cellsabeel disappointing while Tulloch Lodge youngster Farnan has surged into contention. Cellsabeel was sent out a prohibitive odds-on favourite for Saturday’s Silver Slipper (1100m) but was never in the hunt, settling near the rear and making… Read More »
Group One racing again beckons Savatiano and she has shown she is up for the challenge with her Millie Fox Stakes win at Rosehill. White Moss was attempting a defence of the Group Two 1300m-race on Saturday after beating I Am Serious and Savatiano a year ago. Since then, Savatiano… Read More »
Godolphin trainer James Cummings has praised the toughness of La Tene after her first-up victory in the Angus Armanasco Stakes at Caulfield. How far that toughness will carry La Tene through an autumn campaign Cummings remains to be seen, but the filly is now a dual stakes winner following Saturday’s… Read More »
Sydney mare Greysful Glamour has started her latest campaign on a stylish note with an all-the-way win in the Group Three Mannerism Stakes at Caulfield. Trained by Mark Newnham and ridden by Sydney jockey Tim Clark, Greysful Glamour ($9.50) delivered on a plan in Saturday’s 1400m race for mares, claiming… Read More »
Streets Of Avalon has upset some established stars of Australasian racing in the Futurity Stakes at Caulfield, justifying his connections decision to run in the Group One weight-for-age race. On a day when the track was favouring horses up on the pace near the rail, it played to the strengths… Read More »
Much-travelled Quality Seeker looks to have found his niche in Queensland after a runaway win at Eagle Farm. Trained by the Melbourne-based Ciaron Maher-David Eustace partnership, Quality Seeker ($1.90) scored a 3-1/4 length win over Breakdance ($3.20) in the Trump Flooring Plate (2200m). Quality Seeker’s previous 16 starts had been… Read More »
A rails-hugging ride by Damien Oliver aboard He’ll Haunt Us has given the champion jockey a milestone victory at Caulfield. Success in Saturday’s Group Three Zeditave Stakes (1200m) was Oliver’s first stakes win in 2020, but it provided the champion jockey with a black-type victory in each of the five… Read More »
Trainer Robert Heathcote is hoping broodmare Cantantes has left her best two horses to last after she got another winner in Bellissimi Amici at Eagle Farm on Saturday. Bellimissi Amici ($2.80) is the last foal from Cantantes, who died two years ago, and she joined a long list of the… Read More »
