David Payne is one of many trainers keeping a close eye on the weather ahead of the stand-alone meeting at Hawkesbury and he is keen for the rain to stay away. Payne has promising filly Trafalgar Square readied for the Clarendon Stakes (1400m) along with State Of America for the Midway Handicap (1500m),… Read More »
Nash Rawiller isn’t riding in the Listed Wagga Gold Cup, but he has been instrumental in the course of one horse’s path to the $200,000 country showpiece. Rawiller partnered Political Debate first-up when he closed late over an unsuitable 1400m and after handling him in a subsequent track gallop, he wanted to… Read More »
Mitchell Pateman is trusting the addition of blinkers can turn Mojo Rhythm into a formidable winning force in Sunday’s Group 3 Northam Stakes (1300m). Pateman hopes a gear change can help Mojo Rhythm secure his second Group 3 success after winning the Peters Stakes (1500m) last December. Mojo Rhythm finished second… Read More »
The Clarendon Stakes at Hawkesbury is a race Chris Waller often targets with his later-maturing juveniles, usually with one eye on the winter carnival features in Brisbane. Zoustar won it at his second start in 2013, going on to claim the Sires’ Produce Stakes in Queensland and finish runner-up in the… Read More »
Class rose to the top with Group 1 winner Tuvulu lumping a big weight to victory in the Listed Wangoom Handicap at Warrnambool. Regarded as the ‘Newmarket of the bush’ Tuvalu carried 61.5kg to land the 1200m contest on Wednesday and earn himself a trip to Queensland for the Winter Carnival…. Read More »
Superb Group 2 Karrakatta Plate (1200m) champion, Bustling, recently the subject of intense interest from international buyers, is expected to give trainer Dan Morton a second consecutive Perth juvenile feature at Ascot on Saturday. After his astonishing 4 ½ length romp in last fortnight’s Karrakatta Plate, Perth’s richest two-year-old event,… Read More »
Their headline two-year-olds are in the spelling paddock, but Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott still have some arsenal to fire judging by the performance of nicely bred filly Toque at Canterbury. The youngster showed good speed out of the gates before relaxing beautifully in the lead for Tim Clark and kicking strongly… Read More »
A horse bred to be a champion on the flat has won the feature jumps race on day two of the Warrnambool May Carnival. Chains Of Honour has given Ciaron Maher his fourth win in the Galleywood Hurdle (3200m) and third in succession with his victory at Warrnambool on Wednesday. By champion… Read More »
Trainer Mitchell Pateman was expecting Almighty Class to deliver a whole lot more than what he dished up in last month’s $5 million The Quokka (1200m) at Ascot. Forever the optimist, Pateman was confident Almighty Class could match it against a crack group of sprinters in Perth’s richest race, but was… Read More »
Henry Dwyer never expected Willie McCarthy to seek a release from Budd Fox in the Grand Annual Steeplechase, but any prospect of it was ruled out when Stern Idol was scratched from Thursday’s feature. That means the star jockey will fulfil his commitment to the Dwyer-trained Budd Fox in the… Read More »
Michael Freedman has been hoping for a chance to have Panic ridden with cover, but he is unlikely to get it this weekend after the horse drew the second outside gate in the Hawkesbury Guineas. Panic raced outside the leader to post a fighting win in the Listed South Pacific Classic (1400m)… Read More »
Although he is a two-time winner from his first two starts, the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained Angland is still learning what being a racehorse is all about. Angland has registered wins at Pakenham over 1200m on April 4 and again two weeks later over the same distance and heads… Read More »
Former Irish jockey Shane Jackson won two of the feature jumps races at the Warrnambool May Carnival and now is after a major flat win as a trainer. Jackson won the Brierly Steeplechase on Gold Medals in 2018 and the Grand Annual Steeplechase in 2020 aboard Ablaze, however the Galleywood Hurdle… Read More »
An influx of Western Australian raiders for Adelaide’s racing carnival has grown with Luke Fernie set to target black-type races with two of his stable stand outs. Quality mare Laced Up Heels confirmed a second interstate trip following another top run Ascot on Saturday and Be Optimistic is poised to return after… Read More »
Superb Group 2 Karrakatta Plate (1200m) champion, Bustling, recently the subject of intense interest from international buyers, is expected to give trainer Dan Morton a second consecutive Perth juvenile feature at Ascot on Saturday. After his astonishing 4 ½ length romp in last fortnight’s Karrakatta Plate, Perth’s richest two-year-old event,… Read More »
Ciaron Maher and Stern Idol carved a slice of Warrnambool May Racing Carnival history on Tuesday when the hulking gelding prevailed in a Brierly Steeplechase for the ages. Maher edged one clear of J Houlahan as the most successful trainer in the history of the famed carnivals majors – the Brierly, Galleywood Hurdle,… Read More »
Charles Cassar is excited about unveiling his quality Kiwi recruit Spring Tide on Wednesday, but he is approaching his excursion to Warrnambool with caution. The seven-year-old son of Darci Brahma will make his Australian debut in the $200,000 Listed Wangoom Handicap. Cassar has only had a few runners over the May Racing… Read More »
A decision to bypass a staying race at Flemington could provide David and Coral Feek with their first success at the highest level. Gold Wolf heads to the Group 1 South Australian Derby (2500m) at Morphettville on Saturday having bypassed the Listed VRC St Leger (2800m) at Flemington last week. David Feek… Read More »
Trainer Andrew Noblet is looking forward to a return to Warrnambool with his jumper Out And Dreaming after missing the three-day Carnival last year. Out And Dreaming first made his mark at the Carnival in 2021 when successful in a division of the maiden hurdle before returning the following year to finish third… Read More »
For the moment, it’s a dream for Robert Witten, but after Fly With Caution’s tough win, he doesn’t think it’s an impossibility. Witten believes progressive gelding Fly With Caution looks bound for better things after carrying big weight at Ascot on Saturday. Lumping 60kg, Fly With Caution appeared vulnerable when he… Read More »
