Tom Hughes’ patience has paid off with two city winners in recent weeks after a period where he didn’t have a runner for three months. Rather than race horses for the sake of it over the winter, the Flemington trainer bided his time and kept his powder dry. Hughes has… Read More »
The Rosehill debut of well-bred filly Centro Storico represents the beginning of a new dawn for trainer Richard Litt, but Morton’s Fork sums up everything his stable has been built on. Litt relied on tried horses like Morton’s Fork to lay the foundations of his business as he carved a… Read More »
Simon Zahra is hoping sprinter Prezado can add another string to his bow by being able to win away from Flemington when he lines up at Moonee Valley. Five of Prezado’s six wins have come at Flemington and co-trainer Zahra says future options for him are limited unless he can… Read More »
Expectation invites pressure. No one understands that more than co-trainer Toby Edmonds, who is looking forward to the challenge of preparing cult hero The Harrovian as he aims for 10 consecutive wins in Saturday’s Recognition Stakes at Doomben. Stephen Massingham, the previous trainer of The Harrovian, handed the gelding over… Read More »
Stakes winner and Group One placegetter Easy Eddie has been through the wringer over the past 12 months and it is testament to his resilience that he is back at the races. The six-year-old has been off the scene since last year’s Melbourne spring carnival following a health scare that… Read More »
Trent Busuttin knows from personal experience the high standard of horse needed to win the Ladbrokes Plate for two-year-olds at The Valley and he is hopeful Gleneagles proves the right fit. Last year the Busuttin and Natalie Young stable produced Tagaloa to win the 1000 metre race and three months… Read More »
Jockey Kathy O’Hara and sprinter Spaceboy proved a formidable team during the winter and the duo is preparing to take their partnership to the next level. After showing ability as a juvenile with placings in the Golden Gift and Wyong Magic Millions, Spaceboy was struggling to fulfil his potential during… Read More »
John Sadler can’t understand the conditions which have resulted in his sprinter Sartorial Splendor being top weight in the Carlyon Stakes but he hopes he can overcome the disadvantage and win the race. Sartorial Splendor has 58.5kg in the set weights and penalties 1000 metre event at The Valley on… Read More »
Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott have been confirmed as the new trainers for Alligator Blood after his owners split with former conditioner David Vandyke. The four-year-old has been prepared by Vandyke to win nine of his 15 starts, highlighted by the Group One Australian Guineas at Flemington in February. However,… Read More »
Viridine has been allotted 61kg for the Starlight Stakes but the $1 million prize money earner looks well tuned for a big run fresh following two recent trials. Viridine’s likely opposition will come from stablemate Varda, who won four straight on heavy tracks over the winter before finishing fourth behind… Read More »
Angela Davies has an eye on the Villiers Stakes for Through The Cracks but her stable star will need to perform well when he lines up in the Festival Stakes at Rosehill. The ultra-consistent Through The Cracks is among 20 horses nominated for the $160,000 Group Three Festival Stakes over… Read More »
The booking of top jockey Craig Williams has given Joe Pride a confidence boost ahead of the return of Royal Witness in the Carlyon Stakes at Moonee Valley. The Sydney trainer pinpointed the 1000 metre sprint as an ideal campaign starting point for the speedster and was thrilled to snap… Read More »
Patrick Ryan Junior is approaching the Jericho Cup with a degree of confidence knowing Golden Flag has already proven he can handle the distance of Australia’s longest flat race. Last year, Golden Flag finished second to classy stayer Ablaze in the second running of the 4600 metre event at Warrnambool… Read More »
Purple Sector was not able to give John Thompson the perfect spring carnival ending in the The Gong but the trainer has still enjoyed an impressive innings. The rejuvenated five-year-old, who was well-fancied in Saturday’s $1 million The Gong, finished seventh to Archedemus after settling handy to the speed and… Read More »
Talented sprinter Scallopini will be given another chance to halt the Jonker juggernaut in the George Moore Stakes. Co-trainer Matt Hoysted said Scallopini will line up in the Group Three George Moore Stakes (1200m) at Doomben on December 5 after losing round one against Jonker in the Keith Noud Quality… Read More »
Racing NSW stewards have adjourned an inquiry into Nash Rawiller’s ride on beaten favourite Greek Hero at Kembla Grange after giving the jockey a grilling. Rawiller’s effort aboard the Richard and Michael Freedman-trained galloper was put under the microscope after he got back to last and never threatened, despite making… Read More »
Jockey Jay Ford has turned back the clock with a daring ride aboard Team Hawkes gelding Archedemus to win the $1 million The Gong. Ford was the regular partner of champion sprinter Takeover Target, who he rode to eight Group One wins during the 2000s, and has been mainly plying… Read More »
Despite a torrid run, former Kiwi galloper Irish Flame has continued his purple patch of form and demonstrated his toughness with a narrow win in the Ballarat Cup. It was ex-New Zealanders to the fore as he is trained by former champion jumps jockey Brett Scott and ridden by Kiwi… Read More »
Clarry Conners was initially mesmerised by Stolen Jade’s beauty but he is quickly being won over by her talent. The mare remains undefeated this preparation after taking out Saturday’s Traffic Logistics Handicap (1200m) at Kembla Grange to earn herself a trip to the Gold Coast for the Magic Millions carnival… Read More »
An idea hatched by Warwick Farm trainer John Sargent a couple of years ago paid off handsomely when his two-year-old Readily Availabull stormed home to win the Magic Millions Clockwise Classic. The youngster is now Magic Millions Classic-bound after winning at Ballarat on Saturday and securing enough prize money to… Read More »
