Tom Marquand has been involved in some heavyweight match ups during his Sydney autumn carnival visits and the star UK jockey has invariably come out on top. However, the big race scenario he finds himself in for this weekend’s Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) is a little different. Whereas Marquand has previously… Read More »
Grahame Begg is looking forward to seeing Katsu running back on the straight course at Flemington. The Listed Bob Hoysted Handicap (1000m) on Saturday will be Katsu’s second appearance over the straight course having won the Listed Kensington Stakes (1000m) in December. Katsu has been seen only once since, finishing fourth… Read More »
A return to his pet distance is expected to help Athabascan bring his A-game to Rosehill where he will take on William Haggas’ latest Sydney autumn carnival star, Post Impressionist, in the Group One Tancred Stakes. Athabascan has won two black-type races in Australia, both of them over 2400 metres, including… Read More »
Less than a month after capping his remarkable comeback from a career-threatening tendon injury with a Group One win, Think It Over has been retired. Trainer Kerry Parker advised Racing NSW stewards on Thursday that the decision had been made to close the curtain on the eight-year-old’s decorated racing career following veterinary assessments…. Read More »
Few New Zealand fillies have come to Australia with the boom that Orchestral carried across the Tasman earlier this week. It is well-earned with eight starts producing five wins, the last four in a row including wins in the Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m), Group 2 Avondale Guineas (2100m) and Group 1… Read More »
Daqiansweet Junior has contested the past two Melbourne Cups and will chase another start in the race at Flemington on Saturday. The Roy Higgins (2600m) offers the winner a ballot exemption into the Melbourne Cup 2024, one of four staying races run at Flemington that has ‘win and you’re in’ status…. Read More »
Shinzo will make a belated start to his autumn campaign at Rosehill before connections set their sights on one of the carnival’s major sprints. The 2023 Golden Slipper winner resumes in Saturday’s Group 3 Star Kingdom Stakes (1200m) having recovered from an early setback that put trainer Chris Waller on the back… Read More »
Trainer Matthew Smith knows his charge Esti Feny faces a difficult assignment when he lines up in the Australian Cup at Flemington. The Hungarian-bred import is the $126 rank outsider with betting apps for the Group 1 contest over 2000m on Saturday, but the Australian Cup has been known to throw up… Read More »
First-up Sandown winner Coco Sun is headed towards a Group 1 assignment in Adelaide. The Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained filly is being aimed at the Group 1 Australasian Oaks (2000m) at Morphettville on April 27 after her return win in the Sportsbet Set A Deposit Limit Handicap (1400m) on Wednesday. Ridden… Read More »
Epimeles has lived up to the opinion that trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young had placed on the colt, claiming a debut win at Sandown. The son of Dundeel took out the Sportsbet Fast Form Handicap (1300m) on Wednesday under a brave rail hugging ride by John Allen. Getting up on… Read More »
Juvenile More Territories has lived up to the faith of connections with a strong performance at Randwick. The Listed Woodlands Stakes at Scone is a long-range target for John O’Shea -trained filly More Territories, who has made an impressive start to her career with a barnstorming victory on Randwick’s Kensington… Read More »
You can only glean so much from barrier trials and track work, but trainer Simon Miller is rapt in how Amelia’s Jewel is going ahead of her Western Australian swan song. Miller offered up a strong endorsement of his glamour mare and said she’s shaping up outstandingly well ahead of her return to… Read More »
UK raider Post Impressionist has been paid up for the Group One Tancred Stakes at Rosehill, but a final decision on whether he backs up won’t be made until later this week. The William Haggas-trained stayer made a big impression when sweeping home to capture the N E Manion Cup at… Read More »
Trainer Patrick Payne is a realist when it comes to his horses and says it is time for Dunkel to take the step up to the big league. A dual Derby winner as a three-year-old, Payne has chosen the stayer’s races wisely, to the point when the gelding is an eight-time winner… Read More »
The Ciaron Maher stable holds high hopes for Estriella, but the future of her campaign will not be determined until after she runs at Flemington. On offer after the Listed Sunlight Classic (1100m) on Saturday is a trip to Sydney for a Group 2 race against her own age, or a… Read More »
John O’Shea has taken a carefully considered approach to the autumn with promising colt Linebacker and he is hoping it pays dividends in the coming weeks. O’Shea has so far resisted the temptation to tackle some of the better two-year-old races with the youngster, whose only appearance was a four-length maiden win… Read More »
Two starts back in a graduation handicap (1800m) Alaskan finished ahead of just one runner, but on a day that heavily favoured on pace runners, the back markers were up against it. Last fortnight in the J.C.Roberts Stakes (1800m) Alaskan finished a length second to Lord Vampi which earned high from Parnham… Read More »
Dan Morton has a good handle on what it takes to win the feature race for three-year-olds having prepared Alaskan God to victory in 2022. From the moment Morton outlayed $140,000 for In Good Order at Perth’s Magic Millions Sale, he’s long thought the son of American Pharoah was a WA Derby… Read More »
Just a few days after Lady Of Camelot’s Golden Slipper win, Magic Millions announced her half-sister will be available for purchase at this year’s National Broodmare Sale. Platinum Jubilee will go through the ring in the race fillies and mares’ section of the Gold Coast sale, which this year will be… Read More »
He’s a leading fancy in next month’s Karrakatta Plate (1200m) and is coming off a maiden Listed win, but Perth’s richest two-year-old race is no sure thing for Sir Dreamalot. The A Lot gelding shot to prominence with an all the way maiden victory at Bunbury and made another huge impression… Read More »
