Trainer Ciaron Maher collected his first Australian Cup, but it was not with the horse he was expecting. Saddling up three runners in the Group 1 weight-for-age contest over 2000m on Saturday, Light Infantry Man provided Maher with his maiden win, breaking a run of two successive wins in the race by… Read More »
Star New Zealand filly Alabama Lass has made a successful hit and run mission to Melbourne with victory up the straight at Flemington. A winner of five of her eight starts on home soil, with a further three seconds, Alabama Lass led throughout to claim the Listed HKJC World Pool… Read More »
The Group 1 Tancred Stakes meeting will go ahead on Tuesday after persistent rain prompted officials to postpone the 10-race card. The track was rated a slow 7 on Saturday morning but with 50mm of rain forecast to fall throughout the day, an early call was made to move it…. Read More »
The conditions were not in Steady Ready’s favour, but the father and daughter training team of Tony and Maddysen Sears had the confidence in their enduring trier to win their second King Of The Mountain feature at Toowoomba and for the gelding victory at his third attempt. Steady Ready finished second… Read More »
Robbie Griffiths and connections will bid to keep the winning run of Enxuto going when he steps out at Flemington. Following dual victories at Sandown and a last start success at Flemington, Enxuto will take the next step when he runs in the Curragh Handicap (1600m) on Saturday. Griffiths concedes it will… Read More »
Trainer Grahame Begg has applauded Racing Victoria and the Victoria Racing Club with their programming of the HKJC World Pool Sprint Classic. The Listed race for three-year-olds over 1100m on Saturday carries $500,000 in prize money and has attracted 18 runners. Begg said it was the perfect lead-in race towards the… Read More »
Godolphin and James Cummings will chase a third straight win in the Australian Cup when Zardozi steps out in the Group 1 contest on Saturday. Cascadian won the 2000m weight-for-age contest in 2023 and again last year, both times with Ben Melham in the saddle. This year Jamie Melham chases her second… Read More »
Wide barriers are the order of the day for Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald’s team at Rosehill and that might not be a negative. Heavy rain is predicted on Saturday and Archibald is hoping that if it does eventuate, the deteriorating track conditions will favour horses drawn out. “We’ve got… Read More »
James Mcdonald is almost without peer as a jockey but his judgement of horseflesh will be put to the test when he partners River Of Stars in the Tancred Stakes at Rosehill. One of six runners for trainer Chris Waller in the staying feature, River Of Stars is among two Yulong-owned, European… Read More »
The Phillip Stokes stable is chasing some blacktype for a couple of fillies in the Clare Lindop Stakes (1600m) at Morphettville this Saturday. Stokes saddles up Comanche Miss and Pelevecchio as the pair try and achieve ‘Black Type’ status before there is an influx of fillies for the bigger races in coming… Read More »
The Lindsay Park team of Ben, Will and J D Hayes hope their two sprinters Joyful Fortune and Acromantula do not bring each other undone in a Stakes race at Flemington. The pair meet in the Listed Bob Hoysted Handicap (1000m) on Saturday with each drawing on opposite sides of the track… Read More »
Michael Kent Jnr admits he isn’t quite sure what to expect from former Irish mare Sakti when she makes her local debut in the Emancipation Stakes at Rosehill, but he is confident she can forge a good career in Australia. The lightly raced four-year-old, a Listed winner and multiple stakes placegetter overseas,… Read More »
Atishu may not be mentioned in the same breath as some of Chris Waller’s champions past and present, but the mare is far from a spent force on the racetrack. The seven-year-old will be chasing a third Group 1 win at Flemington and her fourth in total when she lines up… Read More »
The decision to back-up Ceolwulf in the Neville Sellwood Stakes is part of a bigger campaign picture as Joe Pride looks to give his star galloper the best possible grounding for his ultimate goal. Having identified the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) as the race they want to win, Pride says Saturday’s Rosehill… Read More »
Classy New Zealand filly Alabama Lass has conquered racing right and left-handed, now she must take to straight racing at her Australian debut. Alabama Lass has arrived in Melbourne to contest the Listed HKJC World Pool Sprint Classic (1200m) at Flemington on Saturday after showing her ability in New Zealand. Trainers… Read More »
Former hurdler Vauban proved surprisingly sharp in his first-up win and that has only fuelled his stable’s confidence as he prepares for a much more suitable assignment at Rosehill. The former European had never raced over a distance less than 2200m but showed another string to his bow when charging late… Read More »
John Sargent-trained filly Wootton Lass has upstaged $3 million yearling buy Ernaux to book herself another black-type opportunity during the Sydney autumn carnival. Much fanfare surrounded the debut of Ernaux at Wednesday’s Kensington track meeting given her status as the second highest-priced filly at last year’s Australian Easter Yearling Sale, her price… Read More »
Sunshine In Paris has ramped up preparations for the T J Smith Stakes with a stylish exhibition gallop between races on Randwick’s Kensington track. The Group 1 Champions Sprint winner worked over 1000m with race jockey Chad Schofield in the saddle on Wednesday, shading stablemate Lilac by a nose on the line. The… Read More »
There’s a bit at stake for Oscar’s Fortune on his resumption at Flemington on Saturday. A dashing performance or better in the Listed Bob Hoysted Handicap (1000m) and he’s almost certain to head west for the $5 million Kia-Quokka (1200m). If he doesn’t meet expectations, you can rule out a… Read More »
New Zealand’s top sprinter Crocetti has been locked in for next month’s Kia-Quokka (1200m) at Ascot after Trackside NZ/Perth Racing snapped up the gelding with their slot in the $5 million autumn feature. Carrying the hopes of the Kiwis in Perth’ richest race, four-year-old Crocetti arrives in WA holding an imposing… Read More »
