Michael Hawkes is convinced a wide draw cost Swiftfalcon in the Gloaming Stakes but the trainer is confident the promising gelding is on song for his attempt to go one better in the Spring Champion Stakes at Randwick. Swiftfalcon is poised to get his first chance to chase a Group 1… Read More »
Melbourne Cup favourite Jan Brueghel arrived at Werribee safe and sound last Saturday night with no idea of the task ahead of him come the first Tuesday in November. Aidan O’Brien, head trainer of Ballydoyle Stables, may not have had a better chance to win his first Melbourne Cup, with Jan… Read More »
Circumstance did not work out for Broadsiding in the Caulfield Guineas, but Godolphin trainer James Cummings has not lost faith in the colt heading towards the Cox Plate. It is 40 years since Red Anchor completed the Caulfield Guineas â Cox Plate double while more recent three-year-old Cox Plate winners had been… Read More »
Billed as a showdown between bold frontrunner Pride Of Jenni and Sydney star Fangirl, the King Charles III Stakes has instead proven a happy hunting ground for rising star Ceolwulf. The last-start Epsom Handicap winner turned giant-killer at Randwick, doing what many horses before him have been unable to by mowing… Read More »
Ostraka has continued on his winning way in the Silver Eagle at Randwick and in the process has put forward a compelling case to be given his chance in the $10 million Golden Eagle in a couple of weeks. Jockey Blake Shinn was able to overcome the outside draw on Ostraka by… Read More »
The ever-increasing juggernaut that is the Ciaron Maher stable capped its biggest payday when Duke De Sessa scored a memorable win in the Caulfield Cup. An hour before Duke De Sessa claimed the Caulfield Cup, the Maher stable welcomed Bella Nipotina home victorious in the world’s richest race, The Everest at Randwick. They… Read More »
From a dramatic late scratching at the barriers to a heart-stopping finish, The Everest has produced another remarkable chapter with Bella Nipotina becoming the first mare to triumph in the $20 million spring showpiece. A rare athlete, the seven-year-old is peaking on the racetrack at an age when most are in… Read More »
Bjorn Baker’s disappointment in not securing an Everest slot with Overpass was eased when the proven fresh performer claimed a pretty decent consolation with a brilliant win in an eventful $2 million Sydney Stakes at Randwick. The trainer had aimed Overpass to resume on Saturday’s program and had been hoping that would… Read More »
It wasn’t the race Ciaron Maher and owners Kevin and Vicky Payne had their eyes on coming into the campaign, but Estriella returned to winning form on the day of the world’s richest sprint race. The classy mare put two unplaced runs in Group 1 races earlier in the campaign behind her… Read More »
What had been a frustrating start to the day for the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable turned full circle with the all the way victory of Too Darn Lizzie at Caulfield. Prior to the running of the Group 2 Thousand Guineas Prelude (1600m) on Saturday, Waterhouse was bemoaning the frustration… Read More »
It has been a case of third time lucky for remarkable gelding Far Too Easy, who has capped his storied career with a stunning victory in the $2 million The Kosciuszko at Randwick. Having placed behind Front Page in the country feature for the past two years, Far Too Easy finally… Read More »
Trainer Dan O’Sullivan said he would let the dust settle and enjoy the win of Too Darn Discreet in the Group 3 Ethereal Stakes (2000m) before confirming further spring ambitions. O’Sullivan would like to press on to the Group 1 VRC Oaks (2500m) at Flemington on November 7 via the Group 2… Read More »
For the second successive year the favourite has been beaten in the Caulfield Classic, a key lead up to the Victoria Derby. Following the scratching of Red Aces at the barrier before Saturday’s Group 3 contest over 2000m for three-year-old colts and geldings, Keeneland shortened dramatically to run an odds-on… Read More »
Last start Group 1 winner Deny Knowledge faces another Racing Victoria veterinary inspection before starting in the Caulfield Cup. Deny Knowledge, who last start defeated Mr Brightside in the Group 1 Might And Power (2000m) at Caulfield last week, was inspected by RV vets on Thursday who had noticed a change… Read More »
Saturday’s Caulfield Cup will be run thousands of kilometres away from Hong Kong, but that doesn’t mean Zac Purton’s competitive instincts have lessened. Hong Kong’s champion rider heads a big group of jockeys from that jurisdiction in Melbourne for the $5 million event, some of whom are yet to ride… Read More »
The shuffle of spring three-year-old fillies races has opened opportunities for the promising Robbie Griffiths and Mathew de Kock-trained Tobeornottobe. The Group 2 Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday will go a long way to determining the eventual path the filly takes. The change in programming has resulted… Read More »
One jockey not at all upset about weights not being raised in the Caulfield Cup is Sydney-based Winona Costin who will ride for the second time in the Group 1 handicap. Costin finished fourth aboard the Annabel Neasham-trained Bois D’Argent in last year’s race and will be looking to improve on that… Read More »
Co-trainer Adrian Bott believes the presence of four three-year-olds adds intrigue into what is shaping as a wide open The Everest at Randwick on Saturday. Bott and Gai Waterhouse are yet to win an Everest and this year their stable’s hopes rest with three-year-old colt Storm Boy and three-year-old filly Lady Of Camelot…. Read More »
Trainer Bjorn Baker believes a below-expectations performance from Overpass in last year’s The Everest probably played against him when it came to securing a slot this year. It means the proven fresh performer is instead scheduled to make his return in Saturday’s $2 million Sydney Stakes (1200m) on the undercard to The… Read More »
The higher bar of competition across metro and provincial racing over springtime in Victoria has Ballarat-based Henry Dwyer sending a runner who can strike back winning form to Adelaide on Saturday. Nishino Crescent firmed from $13 into $11 overnight and Dwyer is hoping the five-year-old by Japanese sire Satono Aladdin can make… Read More »
