Racing Stewards are a peculiar bunch. We need them on race day, absolutely, no question. But do we need them to be like this? As Winx and Kiamichi were doing their wondrous things at Rosehill, a few trainers, jocks, horses, punters and officials went to Ardlethan for a day of… Read More »
It generally goes in breeding that siblings race the same way. You know, if one can sprint, they all can sprint. If one likes to stay all day, the others have staying powers too. Well, read on, as this is a story that defies all that. We all watched the… Read More »
Well that’s now 36 wins, 32 of them in a row and 24 at Gr 1 level for a grand total of $24,016, 675 in prize money. Trainers from here and abroad for the past four years have been pulling their best Houdini impression when it comes to Winx (Street… Read More »
Arghhh, these are the moments I live for as a racehorse fan, form student and story-teller. The moments when the universe meets the now, when omen meets coincidence, and when the impossible becomes a possibility. Anyone over the age of say 25 would remember one of TV’s greatest shows, Fawlty… Read More »
The biggest 2YO question in the land has been, and it has been this way for 6 months: where does the Godolphin inner sanctum rate their own? Who is on top? Where, for example, do all of those who made the Golden Slipper, fit in the pecking oder, in their… Read More »
I like a bet and when I do, I’m governed by form, barriers, jocks and fitness levels. And if I see an omen in among all those things, I go a bit crazy. I see one at Hawkesbury on Wednesday and so, baby, let’s bet up. I’ve already secured $4.20… Read More »
Ask yourself this: what is the one thing, the very most earnest of racing things you’d like to see happen? Keep the answer in your mind for a moment. The saga of this question begins with one of those facts that is so big and so obvious (like Uluru), that… Read More »
The owners of Winx – the always affable Debbie Kepitis in particular, Peter Tighe and Richard Treweeke – have ridden the media wave alongside their global phenomenon to such an extent they themselves have become celebrities. They sign autographed photos of their great mare and they are constantly on TV,… Read More »
They say champion mares just don’t throw similar talent into their babies. Sunline, she of the $12million in stakes money and 32 wins, 13 at Gr 1 level, had 4 babies, 3 raced and only 2 of them won. And they were low key events. Atlantic Jewel, who was so… Read More »
As Saturday came to a close, scone-based trainer Paul Messara was conflicted. During the day two immensely emotional moments occurred in his life. The first was finding his beloved mare, Alverta dead in a paddock. The second was watching the horse his father part-owns called The Autumn Sun doing a… Read More »
I don’t know Victorian trainer Terry Kelly. But after studying the field of runners for the $5million thing the establishment has called the All Star Mile, set for dispatch this Saturday at Flemington, I’ve come to appreciate him a great deal. He trains Foundry who will contest the 2019 All… Read More »
A mountainous achievement, a very long road and some kill-or-be-killed type rivals stand in the way of two jocks who could make history starting today. Never before has someone ridden the Newcastle Newmarket Handicap winner, then gone to Melbourne and ridden the VRC Newmarket Handicap winner in consecutive days. But… Read More »
Late last year in France, the governing body for horse racing, France Galop, decided to allow female riders a 2kg weight allowance EVERY time they rode in a race. This was for all females, not just apprentices, and the hope was the ladies would receive more rides. Which has happened…. Read More »
There are many reasons that prompt punters to bet. So here’s one for those who, understandably so, like me, love to back relatives of stars. At Kembla Grange this afternoon we have one from the silk drawer department and I’m tipping she is there for an easy kill. Team Snowden… Read More »
Owners and horse names: a combination so intriguing it fascinates many. Me included. They say dog owners end up looking like their dogs, which may be true. I’m rather wiry, I’ve been a runner forever and I’ve owned three pet greyhounds during the course of my life. Go figure. But… Read More »
When Goulburn-based trainer Tash Burleigh went to bed on Wednesday night, she was in high spirits. She was going to wake on Thursday to the barrier draw for the $150,000 SERA Country Championships Qualifier over 1400m with two in the main field – Bocelli and Al Mah Haha. And a… Read More »
Mark Newnham will walk away from Rosehill Gardens this afternoon a very, very happy man indeed. That’s if potential plays its rightful part. Newnham, former outstanding provincial jockey and one-time the seemingly heir apparent to the Gai Waterhouse stable, before Adrian Bott came along – a story in itself worth… Read More »
Banned Rosehill trainer Sam Kavanagh may not be too far away from making a training come back. This is because the Supreme Court a few days ago found him not liable to serve the sentences imposed by Racing NSW. Earlier this week the court ordered Racing NSW to reimburse all… Read More »
In Hong Kong Beauty Generation is the best race horse. He’s so good he’s a deadset national superstar. No question, and he showed it again leading all the way at Gr 1 level in super fast time at Sha Tin last weekend. Champion jockey Zac Purton regularly rides him and… Read More »
There are several questions in racing. One of them that always pops up concerns barrier trials. Does trial form stand up, more specifically, does winning trial form stand up? Form students like Tony Brassel, Mark Shean, Ron Dufficy, Paul Joice and well, me too, live by trial form. So I’m… Read More »
