Champion mare Winx has claimed another accolade, being named the NSW Horse of the Year. Winx capped a big night at Thursday’s NSW Racehorse Owners awards for the Chris Waller stable with Winx also the champion miler, Press Statement the champion three-year-old, Preferment the champion middle distance performer and Libran… Read More »
A couple of days out from the return of Winx, her stablemate McCreery has sported the same colours to win the Listed Rowley Mile at Hawkesbury. McCreery ($2.15 fav) led in a Chris Waller-trained trifecta on Thursday, beating Marenostro and Junoob. An English import formerly trained by roger Charlton, McCreery… Read More »
Tas Morton doesn’t like to dwell on his Vietnam experience, but every now and then he and his army mates get together to remember those who didn’t come home. Such was the case on Thursday when the Port Macquarie trainer attended a commemoration on the 50th anniversary of the Battle… Read More »
Group-winning sprinter Heatherly is favourite for the Carlyon Stakes at Moonee Valley but her trainers have warned a heavy track could force a change of plans. Heatherly is at $3.20 for the Listed 1000m sprint and impressed in a jump-out at Flemington last week when she won by several lengths…. Read More »
Irish rider Katie Walsh remembers her first trip to Australia well and is hoping her second is just as lucrative. The 31-year-old is a star attraction at Sunday’s Ballarat meeting which features six jumps races including the Grand National Steeplechase. In 2008 Walsh joined Nina Carberry, Shane Jackson and Alain… Read More »
The owners of Australia’s best racehorse, Winx, are feeling the pressure as the mighty mare looks for her 10th consecutive win. The five-year-old will kick off her spring campaign in the Group Two Warwick Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday. Part-owner Debbie Kepitis said the pressure for Winx to perform… Read More »
As the dust settles on Capitalist’s first-up defeat, Peter and Paul Snowden head to Randwick in search of Sydney stakes atonement. Capitalist’s poor showing in the San Domenico Stakes at Rosehill last Saturday mystified his trainers in the aftermath. The Golden Slipper winner’s program has been altered and he is… Read More »
Shrouded in pressure and expectation, Winx’s return to racing creates the chance for her to build her legacy. On Black Caviar’s 10th birthday, Winx completed her final piece of trackwork before her attempt to win her 10th consecutive race in the Warwick Stakes. There are stark differences between the pair,… Read More »
With the Thousand Guineas a spring goal for Ariaz, trainer Robbie Griffiths has worked backwards from that date to determine a starting point for the filly. She gets her program underway at Moonee Valley on Saturday in the Cleanaway Plate over 1200m. But Griffiths’ confidence has been dented by a… Read More »
A big weight and a wide barrier aren’t expected to stop Hidden Pearl in her march to the Sydney spring carnival when she has her second start this campaign at Eagle Farm. Her trainer Barry Lockwood is confident she can overcome those obstacles and justify her $1.55 quote in Saturday’s… Read More »
Deal Master has already claimed a unique place in racing as the first winner for his sire and trainer Troy Corstens hopes the colt can give Master Of Design another milestone at Moonee Valley. “Let’s hope he can be his first stakes winner as well,” Corstens said. Corstens, who trains… Read More »
On a day Derryn bids to stamp himself as a Golden Rose contender in Sydney, a couple of Lindsay Park’s other three-year-old spring hopefuls begin their campaigns in Melbourne. Derryn impressed with his recent fast-finishing win at Caulfield and is favourite for his first run in Sydney in Saturday’s Group… Read More »
Apprentice Michael Dee has relinquished rides at Moonee Valley after being suspended for careless riding at Geelong. The apprentice will begin his ban after Thursday’s Sale meeting with Craig Newitt to replace him on O’Malley in Saturday’s Listed Carlyon Stakes. Dee, who finished second to Dylan Dunn in last season’s… Read More »
Every season for the past three years trainer Gary Nickson has entered spring with a quality three-year-old. Rather Sweet is this year’s carnival contender and will line up in the Group Two Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday. “It’s funny, over the last four or five years I’ve… Read More »
Irish jumps jockey Katie Walsh will be out to emulate her brother Ruby with victory in the Grand National Steeplechase at Ballarat. Walsh, who has arrived in Australia, will ride the Patrick Ryan-trained I’ll’ava’alf in Sunday’s race won last year by her brother on Bashboy. She will also captain an… Read More »
A Sydney stablehand has been disqualified for nine months for substituting a urine sample with that of someone else following a ban for a prohibited substance. Natalie Bentley was tested at Rosehill on June 10 and disqualified from riding trackwork for three months when the banned substance was detected. She… Read More »
Australia’s best racehorse Winx has had her final hit-out before she begins her spring campaign in the Warwick Stakes. Winx breezed up the Rosehill straight on Thursday morning with regular jockey Hugh Bowman keeping her under a tight hold. The five-year-old mare will be aiming for her 10th straight victory… Read More »
Postponed has bounced back to his best to defeat Cox Plate placegetter Highland Reel in the Group One Juddmonte International at York. Highland Reel had no response to Postponed’s finishing kick and was beaten 1-1/4 lengths with Mutakayyef third. “He’s an incredible horse,” winning trainer Roger Varian said. “The team… Read More »
A careless riding suspension has cost jockey Glyn Schofield the ride on Group One aspirant Good Standing in the Run To The Rose. Schofield was suspended for four meetings for allowing his mount Think Aloud to shift in Oh So Assertive in a race at Canterbury on Wednesday. It is… Read More »
Country apprentice Vad Bolozhinskyi has had a bittersweet day, riding his first winner on a Sydney track only to be handed a three-meeting careless riding suspension. Bolozhinskyi guided It’s A Shamozzle to victory in the More Than Just Winning Handicap (1550m), his only ride at Canterbury on Wednesday. But the… Read More »
