Taking on more seasoned sprinters in the Magic Millions Sunlight might have come too soon for the promising Ice Kool, but trainer David Pfieffer says the horse has gleaned plenty of positives from the experience. The three-year-old resumes in Saturday’s Cornerstone Risk Group Handicap (1000m) at Randwick after an initial… Read More »
A year in racing can be a long time, but it seems like only yesterday that Cranbourne-based trainer Robbie Laing died. This writer spoke to Laing in the days leading up to what would be his final runner El Soleado contesting a race at Flemington on the King’s Birthday weekend. We joked how we both needed… Read More »
An opportunity to run exclusively against his own age has resulted in two-year-old Rebel Royal bypassing a midweek assignment for a Saturday grade race at Randwick. The Tulloch Lodge youngster was scratched from Warwick Farm on Wednesday – the event won by his year-older stablemate Lady Invictus – in preference… Read More »
It’s a story of patience or maybe blind persistence but one that former trainer David Brideoake hopes will have a happy ending at Eagle Farm. Brideoake, who retired from training just shy of 12 months ago, is a part-owner of Grand Omaha that runs in the Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) on Saturday. The story begins… Read More »
Thursday evening at Saratoga, just after 7:30am on Friday in Melbourne will crown this year’s Group 2 Belmont Gold Cup winner, who will receive ballot exemption into the Lexus Melbourne Cup. There have been a handful of Belmont Gold Cup winners to make their way to Melbourne in recent years… Read More »
Zoustrology could sound like an area of science or something in the stars but for the horse himself, it has been good old time and patience to bring on a winning streak. Jack Bruce has two three-year-olds set to start over the next fews days at both ends of the… Read More »
The Ciaron Maher stable has some thinking to do with Vallice after the two-year-old opened his winning account at Sandown. A two-year-old son of Maurice, Vallice took out the Thoroughbred Club Of Australia Handicap (1400m) on Wednesday. Maurice started his career at Donald last month, just like another of the Maurice stock, Hitotsu, did when beginning his campaign… Read More »
Well-related filly Beneath The Rock will be given a chance to work her way through the grades after showing good improvement at her second start to score an all-the-way win at Warwick Farm. A half-sister to multiple Group winner Invincible Gem, the three-year-old finished third at Scone on debut but… Read More »
In Flight won’t be at Randwick to defend her Bob Charley AO Stakes title with trainer Joe Pride confirming he will stick to his original plan and take her to Queensland for the Moreton Cup. Pride said the Group 2 assignment in Brisbane was always his preference with Sydney a… Read More »
Trainer Greg Eurell says it is now time for Miss Revealing to reveal the potential he has seen from the filly on the racetrack. Miss Revealing heads to Flemington on Saturday to contest the Play On, For Neale (1600m) on Saturday, a heat of the Silver Bowl Series that has a final over… Read More »
Lightly raced gelding Nitro will be out to erase the disappointment of being balloted from a stakes race when he heads to Randwick chasing an overdue win. The three-year-old’s benchmark wasn’t high enough to make the cut for a high quality renewal of the Fred Best Classic (1400m) at Eagle… Read More »
On a quiet day for the Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr stable, their hopes of a winner at Flemington will lie with a trio of three-year-old stayers in heat four of the Mahogany Series. She’s Got The Cash, Engine Of War and Rockette are all set to contest the 2000m contest which… Read More »
As excited as Matt Cumani was about Kingofwallstreet coming out of his three-year-old spring campaign, he knows whatever he now achieves on the racetrack might be considered a bonus. The four-year-old is on the cusp of a return to the races, with this Saturday’s 2000-metre open-age handicap at Flemington shaping… Read More »
Fireball Miss will aim to become the third horse to complete The Roses – Queensland Oaks double when she lines up in the Group 1 feature over 2200m at Eagle Farm on Saturday. The daughter of Bivouac rocketed into Oaks contention with a decisive victory in the Group 2 The… Read More »
A trip to Flemington was not Ron Stubbs’ first preference with Bianco Vilano, but the Albury trainer is more than happy to have a $150,000 event at Australia’s most famous racecourse as a back-up option for the Riverina’s newest Cups King. Providing there is no repeat of the weather that… Read More »
Chris Waller has turned to the Melhams as he strives to add to his imperious Group 1 record this season in Saturday’s Queensland Oaks. Australia’s leading Group 1 trainer will have three runners in the $700,000 event, Panova, Chispa and Soverato, with the first two in need of new pilots… Read More »
Jockey Luke Currie felt a different horse underneath as he paraded to the start aboard The Western Front at Sandown. The Western Front contested the Sandown Cup (3200m) on Sunday and Currie said the stayer was a more relaxed individual to the one he rode in the Andrew Ramsden (2800m)… Read More »
The saying is weight will stop a train and it certainly helped deny Stern Idol victory in the Australian Steeplechase at Sandown. Stern Idol was burdened with 76.5kg in his bid to win the Australian Steeplechase for the second time having scored with 73kg 12 months ago. However, Stern Idol… Read More »
Clayton Douglas can now add the Australian Hurdle as a trainer to his win as a rider after Mr Waterville scored at Sandown. Douglas rode Self Sense to victory in 2018 before making the switch to training and watched Mr Waterville record an easy win in the Australian Hurdle (3900m)… Read More »
Champion jockey James McDonald has equalled one of the most enduring riding records in Australian racing with his win on Providence in the Group 1 Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday. Providence gave McDonald his 16th Australian Group 1 of the season to equal “Miracle” Mal Johnston’s all-time… Read More »
