Saturday’s Deane Lester Flemington Cup is the logical progression for many who contested the Banjo Paterson Series Final, but Phillip Stokes is happy one horse in particular is not among the nominations. Untapped import Berkshire Breeze, the runaway winner of the Banjo Paterson Final, is being readied for a Cups assault… Read More »
It might be smack-bang in the middle of winter but James Cummings has got an early start on the spring preparations for some of his potential spring stars, including a couple of Group 1 winners. Zardozi and Tom Kitten both trialled for the first time this campaign at Warwick Farm on Monday morning…. Read More »
The number of black-type races, especially Guineas features, is thinning out as the season draws to a close but father and son, Peter and Paul Snowden, are continuing their success right into dusk of their training partnership. Xidaki gave the duo their 203rd black-type victory in the Group 3 Winx Guineas (1600m)… Read More »
Rather than being an inconvenience, the postponement of the Sunshine Coast’s feature races following relentless rain last weekend to a Sunday card a week later, co-trainers Anthony and Sam Freedman grabbed the opportunity for a second crack at a race they would have initially missed out on anyway. Punch Lane did not… Read More »
Gai Waterhouse’s European holiday was not all just about laying back and enjoying the sunshine as some astute work was also done at the bloodstock sales. One purchase, a three-year-old filly by sire Frontiersman, delivered a victory on Saturday at Newmarket in England to send her off to Australia on… Read More »
A treble at Randwick for Nash Rawiller has him within striking distance of claiming his fourth Sydney metropolitan riders’ premiership while a return date for table topper James Mcdonald is yet to be confirmed. While McDonald has been sidelined for most the past month through illness, Rawiller has clawed back the gap… Read More »
It has been six months in the making, but Ryan Houston finally repaid Grahame Begg a Saturday city success when he won aboard British Columbia at Caulfield on Saturday. The win in the $130,000 Sportsbet Same Race Multi Handicap (1400m) was the first Saturday city winner for the 20-year-old apprentice. Houston has passed… Read More »
Consistent rain has made the Sunshine Coast track a tricky proposition for trainers, jockeys and punters alike and the hopes of the surface being given the opportunity of a few days to dry out were dashed overnight on Friday with further rain hitting the area. A track rated Heavy 10,… Read More »
Four horses were declared non-runners as Queensland stewards declined to declare a ‘no race’ of the sixth event at Doomben following Samantha Collett being thrown out the back of the barrier stalls as rival jockeys looked on. The Sky Racing Benchmark 78 Handicap (1100m) turned to the point of being a… Read More »
Quietly satisfied is what trainer Annabel Neashem seemed to be when former French galloper Don Diego De Vega won for the first time on Australian soil at Randwick. Steered by Jason Collett, Don Deigo De Vega ($2.40 bookmakers favourite) would have been forgiven by Neasham for succumbing to the late… Read More »
Ethan Brown suggested Manolo Bling’s future lay outside off-season grade after she got her career off to the perfect start at Caulfield on Saturday. The daughter of Grunt proved too classy for a field of female rivals in the Sportsbet Jockey Watch 2YO Handicap (1100m). The Anthony and Sam Freedman -trained youngster… Read More »
Adrian Bott is not quite sure yet where Wanaruah will fit within the powerhouse stable’s next season rising three-year-old ranks but he is highly confident that there can be a lot more to come after maintaining his perfect race record. Winning on debut at Canterbury over 1250-metres in June, the colt by… Read More »
Minsk Moment enters unchartered territory, but trainer Adam Durrant is cautiously optimistic about his winning chances at Belmont on Saturday. The well-travelled five-year-old resumes in the Listed Beaufine Stakes and at career start number 20 he tackles the 1000m sprint trip for the first time. The best of Minsk Moment’s… Read More »
Melbourne’s recent spell of cold weather has afforded Alex Rae the opportunity to again step out his up-and-coming stayer Little Jack at Caulfield. Little Jack is shooting for a third straight win after victories at Sale and Caulfield when he runs in the Sportsbet Nobody Does It Easier Handicap (2000m) on Saturday…. Read More »
A start for Loving Gaby’s first foal at Caulfield this Saturday is up in the air, but even if she is withdrawn Ciaron Maher will still have a well-related youngster engaged. The 1100-metre event will be the first start for Berezka, a sister to Group 2 placegetter Nadal, who ran sixth in… Read More »
Trainer Cliff Brown believes he has a ready-made replacement for the horse he was initially intending to run in a Stakes race at Caulfield. Little Miss Kubi will represent Brown in the Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m) on Saturday after the trainer had originally been keen to run last start… Read More »
Zac Lloyd will be at long odds to produce his heroics of a week ago at Randwick, but regardless of whether he ticks off any more achievements, his season will go down as a success. Lloyd stole the show at the Winter Stakes meeting, not only capturing the feature race on… Read More »
The training partnership of Brisbane-based Steven O’Dea and Matthew Hoysted is set to be dissolved at the conclusion of the racing season. Over the past six months, O’Dea has gradually shifted away from the day-to-day running of the stable to concentrate on his bloodstock interests with Hoysted taking on a… Read More »
The Listed Beaufine Stakes (1000m) has been a successful race for trainer Neville Parnham and he’s confident that trend can continue with a two-pronged attack at Belmont on Saturday. Neville Parnham saddles up Ghost Who Walks and Multinational and is one win away from squaring the ledger with Vern Brockman as the most… Read More »
Trainer Alex Rae does not want to see any more rain fall ahead of the Caulfield meeting. The Cranbourne trainer expects Enna’s Dream to go very close to winning the Sportsbet Photo Finish Refund Handicap (1400m) on Saturday. The Caulfield track was rated a Soft 7 on Thursday and Enna’s Dream is… Read More »
