It was an unfortunate accident that saw talented mare Niance miss the Autumn, but Grahame Begg believes the lightly raced five-year-old can make up for lost time over the Winter. A winner of six races from ten starts, Niance is set to resume in the Listed Bel Esprit Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield… Read More »
Jockey Rory Hutchings admitted to having a “brain snap” after Racing NSW stewards slapped him with a one-month ban over two separate but related charges at Randwick. Having only recently returned from a three-month injury enforced layoff, Hutchings told stewards he was struggling to get down to 56.5kg to ride the… Read More »
The combination of trainers Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman, and three-kilogram claiming apprentice Luke Cartwright has proven to be a lethal one at Sandown Hillside. In a three-run stint between races five and seven, the combination didn’t taste defeat. The winning run started aboard $15 chance Suances who flew down the… Read More »
Antino has confirmed his status as one of the best horses in Australia with a breathtaking win in the Group 1 Doomben Cup (2000m). Now a dual Group 1 winner, $3 favourite Antino was as impressive as his 6-½ length victory in last year’s Toorak Handicap, Blake Shinn once again circling the… Read More »
Philia will be afforded her chance to give local trainer David Vandyke his second win in the Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) in four years. The daughter of All Too Hard was a determined winner of the Group 2 The Roses (2000m) at Doomben on Saturday, notching up her fourth win from… Read More »
There was a sense of deja’vu for Casual Connection’s trainer John Sargent as the gelding notched his eighth career-win at Randwick to put himself in the frame for a Queensland carnival tilt. The six-year-old relished the heavy conditions to score a dominant victory in Saturday’s PF Civil Handicap (2400m), 12 months… Read More »
Connections of Let’s Fly will give serious consideration to paying the late nomination fee for the Queensland Oaks after the filly made a mess of her Randwick rivals to post a runaway win. Trained by Richard and Will Freedman, Let’s Fly ($31) raced handy to the speed throughout and was still… Read More »
‘I felt sick’ was the reaction from Clinton Mcdonald after Miss Ole’s debut race at Warrnambool, which turned to joy and relief at Sandown Hillside on Saturday. The two-year-old filly by Ole Kirk missed the start badly on debut in the Vobis Gold Strike at Warrnambool which cruelled her chances, something… Read More »
Bigger targets await promising filly Agarwood after she kept her unbeaten record intact at Randwick, but whether they come this campaign or next remains up for discussion. Having posted a 1000m midweek win at Warwick Farm earlier this month, the youngster made a seamless transition to Saturday grade with an all-the-way… Read More »
Paul Shailer celebrated his biggest win as a trainer when Isti Star cashed in on a major Magic Millions opportunity at the Gold Coast on Friday night. The daughter of Better Than Ready powered to a commanding win in the second edition of the $1 million Magic Millions National 2YO Classic (1000m)…. Read More »
Trainer Stephen Miller admits consistent galloper Magnificent Andy will have a tough task to overcome a wide barrier in tomorrow’s Swan Draught-Belmont Sprint (1400m) at Belmont Park. The gelding enters tomorrow’s Group 3 feature in stellar form, following a fourth placing to Jokers Grin in the Kia-Quokka (1200m) and Northam… Read More »
Greg Eurell and the connections of Red Galaxy were eyeing a softer option at Sandown, but when that race did not turn out as expected they switched to a tougher contest. Red Galaxy was nominated in both the Sportsbet Same Race Multi Handicap and the Senet Gambling Law Experts Handicap, both over… Read More »
Trainer Matt Cumani is hoping the second outing of Italian-bred galloper Tempesti ends better than his Australian debut. Tempesti heads to the Sportsbet Race Replays Handicap (1800m) at Sandown on Saturday having beaten only three horses home at Flemington in March. That day Tempesti was galloped on during the race and suffered… Read More »
Former glamour Australian colt Storm Boy has drawn the outside barrier for his European debut, which will take place just after midnight Sunday, Australian time. The Coolmore-owned son of Justify, last year’s Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner who also ran third in the Golden Slipper, was allocated barrier nine in the… Read More »
In an ideal world, Henry Davis would already be in the UK preparing Asfoora for her defence of the King Charles III Stakes crown at Royal Ascot. Instead, Asfoora was at Flemington on Friday morning participating in a 900m trial in which she finished on level terms with Winnasedge. A year… Read More »
If Chris Bieg’s runners on Saturday were a footy team, the coach’s enthusiasm about them could be described as ‘up and about’, as the South Australian conditioner believes he may have found the deal race for one in particular, Annihilate. The five-year-old will line-up alongside stablemate Voltage Point in the Mulch… Read More »
The extreme conditions expected at Randwick hold no fears for trainer Joe Pride, whose four runners are all proven on heavy tracks. The course proper was rated a heavy 9 on Thursday afternoon but with fine weather forecast for race day, the Australian Turf Club’s assistant track manager Jake Carlaw… Read More »
Wide barriers have been the bane of Polymnia’s campaign but co-trainer Tom Charlton is again banking on the filly being good enough to handle it when she makes her Queensland debut in The Roses. The daughter of Dundeel overcame the second outside gate to score at Hawkesbury three starts ago… Read More »
Only three fillies have succeeded to win The Roses and Queensland Oaks double since the Oaks lead-up at Doomben was introduced in 1996, while only one has achieved both the Australasian Oaks and Roses victories – and for that you have to go all the way back to 1999. Even more… Read More »
Trainer Sharon Taylor felt the 1200m of The Joey was always going to be too slick for the return of Searchin’ Roc’s but she was rapt with the mare’s performance and is looking forward to stepping her out to her favourite trip at Belmont on Saturday. The six-year-old, who helped… Read More »
