There is a simple logic behind trainer Grant Allard’s decision to start in-form sprinter Catesby in the Listed Keith Noud Quality at Doomben. In addition to the 1200m stakes event, Catesby was entered for a class six race but the disparity in weight the gelding was allotted in each event… Read More »
Although Princess Jenni burst onto the scene winning four of her first six starts, trainer David Brideoake knew even then that she needed time and was a long way from being the finished product. Her last victory in that early sequence came in the 2019 Group One Australasian Oaks at… Read More »
The $1 million The Hunter meeting holds special significance for syndicators Australian Bloodstock, which has three runners in the feature race. Held for the first time last year, The Hunter has quickly become one of the coveted local majors, along with the Newmarket, Cameron Handicap and Newcastle Cup. Having grown… Read More »
Peter Snowden decided to bypass the Queen Elizabeth Stakes for the Sandown Cup with an eye on the future for his talented stayer Carif. Last year Carif finished second to True Self in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes and that mare made it two in a row in the Flemington race… Read More »
Horsham trainer Paul Preusker has elected to spell his staying star Surprise Baby and as a result he will bypass the Zipping Classic. Preusker said he wasn’t completely satisfied with Surprise Baby’s gallop on Wednesday morning at Hamilton and he didn’t accept with him for the Sandown Group Two Zipping… Read More »
The midweek meeting at Bendigo has been abandoned after two races due to an electrical storm. Racing Victoria’s presiding chief steward at Bendigo, Rob Montgomery, delayed the running of the third race for 40 minutes but in the finish he had to call the meeting off due to lightning activity… Read More »
David Payne has not given up on winning an Oaks with Montefilia despite the filly’s defeat as an odds-on favourite in the Victorian classic. Payne, who will also chase a three-year-old feature with Obvious Step at Newcastle’s showcase stand-alone meeting on Saturday, has no doubt Montefilia has the stamina to… Read More »
Tom Dabernig and Ben Hayes set themselves a goal to have a big impact during the Flemington carnival and they delivered, winning the coveted Bart Cummings trophy for the most successful trainers. They are hoping to continue that trend at Sandown on Saturday when they have numerous runners and key… Read More »
The racing industry has received a shot in the arm with the lifting of restrictions over the movement of horses between Victoria and NSW, effective immediately. Horses entering NSW from Victoria can now travel directly to a racetrack or stable after racing officials made changes to the COVID-19 protocols following… Read More »
Although Glen Boss will be having his first ride on Surprise Baby in the Zipping Classic, he got a good look at the horse during the Melbourne Cup. Boss will replace Craig Williams on Surprise Baby in Saturday’s feature and believes he will prove too good for his rivals at… Read More »
Scone trainer John Ramsey is hoping a change of environment and some gear adjustments can trigger a form reversal from Glenall, who is nominated for the $1 million The Hunter at Newcastle. Glenall is among 28 nominations for the provincial feature on Saturday, which was only introduced to the spring… Read More »
Kerrin McEvoy has been given first right of refusal to partner Classique Legend in the Group One Hong Kong International Sprint. The top jockey has been the horse’s regular rider and steered him to his barnstorming win in the $15 million The Everest last month. Shortly afterwards, owner Bon Ho… Read More »
Trainer Ciaron Maher was pleased with the workout of eight-year-old mare Etah James and said she was ready to run a big race in the Sandown Cup. “She’s a dour two-miler ready to peak. She’s very honest,” Maher said. Etah James was unplaced in the Melbourne Cup, which was only… Read More »
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace stable is hoping to replicate its success of last year and take out the two major staying races at the closing meeting of the spring carnival at Sandown. On the corresponding program twelve months ago they were successful with Southern France winning the Group… Read More »
Mike Moroney will run Buffalo River in the Group Three Sandown Stakes (1500 metres) after deciding to bypass Saturday’s Mackinnon Stakes at Flemington. Moroney toyed with starting Buffalo River in the Mackinnon Stakes as he is keen to stretch the horse out to 2000 metres. Buffalo River led at a… Read More »
Mike Moroney believes his veteran stayer Sound could not be going any better and he is hoping he’ll finally break his Australian maiden status in the Zipping Classic. Moroney’s plan was for Sound to be contesting the Melbourne Cup but he missed out on gaining a start when he finished… Read More »
Kris Lees is planning to stack the bases as he looks to go one better in the second edition of the $1 million The Hunter at Newcastle. The local trainer had to settle for second in the inaugural running when Tactical Advantage finished in the slipstream of Godolphin mare Savatiano…. Read More »
He has promised the world and only delivered an atlas but a new-look Garibaldi may be poised to finally live up to his early promise. The recently gelded Garibaldi and stablemate Socialising were singled out by leading trainer Tony Gollan as the star performers of his runners who stepped out… Read More »
An emotional Grant Williams farewelled his successful Victorian spring campaign in style with his star mare Arcadia Queen taking out the Group One Mackinnon Stakes. “If you told me at the start of spring that she would be winning two Group One races, I’d take that,” the trainer said after… Read More »
Tabcorp has issued a public apology after a major technical glitch prevented punters from wagering on the final day of the Melbourne Cup carnival. The issue, believed to have been caused by a disruption to the power at one of their server location centres, shut down the TAB’s systems on… Read More »
