Trainer Stephanie Bakranich says Nerodio will be at his best and gives the seven-year-old a great chance to end an Ascot hoodoo on Saturday. Nerodio has performed best at Belmont Park, greeting the judge 11 times, but despite going close, landing success at Ascot has been elusive. The Playing God gelding… Read More »
Ben and J D Hayes and the Lindsay Park team are holding onto the slender hope of Makram gaining a start in the Caulfield Cup. The imported galloper is second emergency in Saturday’s Group 1 2400m handicap after failing in his last ditch bid to gain a start by winning the Group 2 Herbert… Read More »
James Cummings and Godolphin are looking at winning form to hold Kallos in good stead when he returns to stakes level at Caulfield. Kallos runs in the Group 2 Caulfield Sprint (1000m) on Saturday and is looking for back-to-back wins after a return to form at Warwick Farm in a Benchmark 92 race on October… Read More »
Mindful of the bigger spring picture, Godolphin has resisted the temptation to pit Cascadian against stablemate Anamoe in the Cox Plate and will follow a softer route towards another Victorian Group 1 target. Trainer James Cummings revealed the Cox Plate was tabled for Cascadian after he streeted his rivals in the Hill Stakes… Read More »
Glyn Schofield has been involved in several of James Cummings’ biggest career milestones, now he hopes to deliver him a first Everest win. It is Thursday morning, two days out from the $15 million The Everest, and having made the trip from Sydney to Gosford for a barrier trial session,… Read More »
In an ideal world, Muramasa would not be lining up at Caulfield. But trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young realise that to be a contender in the Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington, Muramasa needs to run on Saturday. Muramasa is down to contest the Group 3 Caulfield Classic (2000m) as a steppingstone to the Derby, but Busuttin and… Read More »
David Payne has called Australia home for the last 20 years and when he first arrived, he wanted a Melbourne Cup for his trophy cabinet. While he has so far failed to achieve that, Payne said a Caulfield Cup would be a nice substitute. Payne saddles Montefilia in Saturday’s Group 1 Caulfield… Read More »
From terrifying floods and untimely skin allergies to a nervous wait for a Kosciuszko slot. It’s fair to say that over the past year, David Mccolm’s journey with stable star Far Too Easy has been a roller coaster and on Saturday at Randwick, the country trainer is hoping it culminates… Read More »
Only two horses remain to be given a clean bill of health to contest the Caulfield Cup. Racing Victoria vets did their rounds on Thursday inspecting 16 of the 18 horses in Saturday’s Group 1 contest over 2400m along with the two emergencies. The 18 horses were given the all-clear… Read More »
Thanks to the deeds of Think It Over, the Everest meeting has been a happy hunting ground for trainer Kerry Parker and while his stable star won’t be there to fly the flag this year, he has two capable understudies. The winner of the past two renewals of the Craven Plate… Read More »
As the richest race in Australia, the $15 million The Everest is a lure for the sport’s rich and powerful, but it is also proving to be within the grasp of everyday Australians. While the likes of Coolmore, Godolphin and champion trainer Chris Waller all have a stake in the… Read More »
Young trainer Rhys Radford is keen to get Comfort Me back to the races and right a few wrongs from when he was last competing. Comfort Me couldn’t get warm in the winter and was no match for Elite Street in a cameo campaign at Northam and Belmont Park. Comfort… Read More »
Kissonallforcheeks may have left a raft of punters down when beaten as favourite at Moonee Valley, but trainer Nick Ryan expects her to bounce back at Caulfield. The Group 2 Tristarc Stakes (1400m) on Saturday is being used to get Kissonallforcheeks into peak form for the Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on the… Read More »
Midway through the Thousand Guineas meeting on Wednesday Sam Freedman had a wry smile on his face that suggested he and his father Anthony had erred in scratching Moko. The Godolphin-owned filly was an acceptor in the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) on Wednesday, but with a scratching deadline of 7.30am, a… Read More »
Hopes of getting Apache Chase a slot in The Everest didn’t come to fruition, but trainer Desleigh Forster figures he only needs to replicate his Premiere Stakes run to be a live chance of snagging a $2 million consolation prize. Apache Chase resumed in the Premiere Stakes in a bid to advertise… Read More »
Ethan Brown says riding a Group 1 winner is good but to ride the winner of one of the features would take it to the next level. Brown rides in the Caulfield Cup for the first time on Saturdays when he partners with Godolphin galloper Alegron in the 2400m Group 1 handicap. The jockey has three Group 1 victories to… Read More »
Stablemates Benaud and Maximal drew the two widest barriers in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) which may turn out to be a blessing in disguise on what is already a Heavy 10 track. Sydney-based John O’Shea said Benaud loves the wet while a decision will be made on Saturday morning whether dry tracker Maximal takes his place. “I trust the track. It’s such… Read More »
Hobby trainer Justin Robins is still pinching himself and coming to terms with what’ happened in Kalgoorlie this season. On the back of good management and good fortune, it’s dawning on Robins that he may have an above average horse on his hands. Unheralded from Melbourne, Pedal Power was bought… Read More »
Caulfield Cup favourite Smokin’ Romans has drawn ideally in barrier five to give Jamie Kah her first win in one the Melbourne Spring Carnival features. The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained galloper remains a clear-cut favourite for Saturday’s 2400m handicap at $4.80 with TAB. Market đź’°: View the Odds for the Caulfield Cup… Read More »
New Zealand raider Sharp ‘N’ Smart has reinforced his Spring Champion Stakes claims, lifting himself off the canvas to deny a valiant Matcha Latte in the Gloaming Stakes at Warwick Farm. Jockey Hugh Bowman said the addition of blinkers had made a significant difference to the three-year-old, who he partnered to two winter… Read More »
