There would be few horses in training able to boast a pair of Golden Slipper winners as parents, so Tulloch Lodge trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott were understandably rapt to get a win on the board with beautifully bred filly Loera. By 2016 Slipper winner Capitalist out of 2013… Read More »
Distance, distance and more distance is what trainer Liam Howley has been searching for with three-year-old Valiant Sun. The longest race restricted to three-year-olds in Victoria will be run on Saturday, the Listed VRC St Leger (2800m) at Flemington, with Valiant Sun taking up the challenge. Valiant Sun will line… Read More »
Tom Charlton is looking for a positive return from Queensland Derby winner Maison Louis at Randwick as connections consider another trip north this winter. Twelve months ago, the son of Super Seth progressed from winning a Goulburn maiden at his second start to taking out the Group 1 Derby at… Read More »
Ash Morgan has given Private Harry his tick of approval as he prepares to reunite with the Group One winner in the Victory Stakes at Eagle Farm next month. Morgan put the four-year-old through his paces in an exhibition gallop at Canterbury on Wednesday, Private Harry covering the 1000m in… Read More »
The Ciaron Maher stable are backing on a return to Morphettville being a winning formula for Benedetta. The last time Benedetta raced at Adelaide’s premier course, the mare took out The Goodwood at Group 1 level in May 2024. That was when Benedetta was trained by Jason Warren and it provided Jamie Melham with a sought-after Group 1 win in… Read More »
Emma-Lee and David Browne say a win by Just Kick in Adelaide would be timely with an important thoroughbred sale coming up. Just Kick is chasing her maiden victory when she heads to the Group 1 Australasian Oaks (2000m) at Morphettville on Saturday. The filly in winless in eight starts… Read More »
A good barrier draw is an important commodity, especially on a tight turning track. So, for Lindsay Park it was a no-brainer to scratch Plymouth from the Listed Mornington Cup (2400m) last Saturday, even though the race offered the winner a ballot exemption into the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m)… Read More »
The final piece of the puzzle has been ticked for Getta Good Feeling as she chases her maiden Group 1 victory. The Danny O’Brien-trained filly has barrier 5 in Saturday’s Australasian Oaks (2000m) at Morphettville. A capacity field of 16 plus four emergencies has accepted for one of two Group… Read More »
Two of Godolphin’s dual Group 1-winning colts have run their final races and will take up a place on the Darley stallion roster later this year. It was on Monday announced that Tentyris and Observer had been retired and would be split among Darley Australia’s two bases. Tentyris, a son… Read More »
Ciaron Maher has one runner safely in the field for this Saturday’s Listed VRC St Leger, but the champion trainer of stayers is hoping to have much greater representation in the Flemington feature. Awesome Artist, Noble Falcon and Intervened join Tasmanian Derby winner Dad And Dave among the 28 entries… Read More »
Roger James’ history of picking off Australian Group 1 races for three-year-old fillies stretches right back to the start of the 21st century and he will look to tick off another feature this Saturday. The Kiwi horseman and his co-trainer Robert Wellwood will have Confesara in the $1 million Australasian… Read More »
Trainer Grahame Begg is Adelaide bound with his smart mare Niance which in turn could lead the sprinter to a campaign in Brisbane. With no suitable sprint options for Niance at Flemington on Saturday, Begg has decided to head to the Group 3 John Hawkes Stakes (1100m) at Morphettville. Ironically… Read More »
Craig Williams will be looking to end a busy weekend with a Group 1 victory in Hong Kong, partnering 2025 Hong Kong Derby victor Cap Ferrat in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2000m) at Sha Tin on April 26. Williams will have close to a full book in Adelaide on… Read More »
Local trainer Pat Carey has finally got the Hareeba Stakes monkey off his back with Recon staging a blinding finishing burst to score at Mornington. The Listed Hareeba Stakes (1200m) had been a thorn in Carey’s side who had been trying to win the race for a number of years,… Read More »
Godolphin’s Beiwacht put an exclamation mark on Hall of Fame trainer Chris Waller’s unrivalled run of success through the Sydney autumn carnival success with his tough all-the-way win against a star-studded field in the Group 1 $1.5 million All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday. For good measure,… Read More »
The Ciaron Maher-trained Kings Valley has earned a ballot exemption into the Caulfield Cup after a fighting win at Mornington. Success in the Listed Mornington Cup on Saturday provides the winner with a ‘Golden Ticket’ into the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) in October. Saturday’s victory was Maher’s second in… Read More »
The remarkable Mazu is a rising eight-year-old but has retained his speed and enthusiasm for racing, leading throughout to complete his hat-trick of wins in the Group 3 $250,000 Hall Mark Stakes (1200m) on Saturday. The Joe Pride-trained Mazu’s previous wins in the Hall Mark were on heavy tracks where… Read More »
Hall of Fame trainer Chris Waller completed an unprecedented Sydney Saturday Group 1 clean sweep when Fireball defeated stablemate Campione D’Italia in the $1 million Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday. This was the eighth successive (and final) Saturday of Group 1 racing in Sydney for the autumn… Read More »
But unlike Waller’s previous winners, Asterix’s was a little unexpected with the rising eight-year-old gelding sent out as a $16 chance. A New Zealand Derby winner four years ago, Asterix seemed to lose his way before showing glimpses of his best last summer winning The Beauford and running second in… Read More »
Matias put himself into the Queensland Derby conversation after his strong win in the Group 3 $250,000 Frank Packer Plate (2000m). This win came just 35 minutes after stablemate Snitzel Dancer won the Group 3 Carr Stakes. Ryan trained Snitzel to win an Oakleigh Plate before the sprinter went to… Read More »
