Tony Gollan has no hesitation in saying that Nettuno has kept him guessing and despite many threats of ‘the cut’, the four-year-old announced himself as a Queensland Summer Carnival hot prospect with victory in the Swiss Ace Plate. Nettuno ($19) was the lesser stable fancy as far as the market was concerned… Read More »
After jumping on terms with them from the inside alley, rider Tyler Schiller pushed his mount along the rails to be in front after travelling only 100m and put some solid tempo into the 1300m affair. The Turffontein gelding put a massive gap in them in the home straight and held… Read More »
Perseverance has paid off for trainer Grahame Begg who captured the final Group 1 race of the Melbourne Spring Carnival with Magic Time. Begg was looking forward to the Spring Carnival but had his Caulfield Cup hope Nonconformist withdrawn on the eve of the race while his Melbourne Cup Lunar Flare went… Read More »
She’s only been on the books as a co-trainer with Paul Messara for a few months, but Leah Gavranich has already posted her first group win. Their three-year-old filly Genzano ($15) was impressive taking out the Group 3 3YO Spring Stakes at Newcastle saluting by a length and a quarter over another filly… Read More »
Chris Waller and James Mcdonald continued their successful association in Melbourne from Flemington to Caulfield as Joliestar stamped herself as a filly of the future with her win in the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m). A third victory for Waller in the race and a second for McDonald, the pair have now combined… Read More »
The changes made to the Caulfield Cup Carnival have paid a dividend for connections of Run Harry Run with his victory in a Stakes race at Caulfield. Lining up for his fourth race start and coming off victories at Kilmore and Bendigo, Run Harry Run took out the Group 3 Blue… Read More »
The John O’Shea-trained Stroke Of Luck ($7) has broken the track record (2.21.16) in winning the $300,000 The Beauford over 2300m at Newcastle’s standalone meeting. Running down the straight with a tail wind, the four-year-old proved too strong for Torrens ($12) by half a length at the post. Race favourite Sky Lab ($4.40F)… Read More »
Trainer Simon Miller could have a commanding hand to play in the Listed Tabtouch Placid Ark Stakes (1200m) at Ascot on Saturday with a triple assault. Simon Miller has special affinity with the half-a-million dollar race, the love affair going back to a decade ago when Miss Bux won in 2013…. Read More »
He was well-supported when seventh at his Australian debut and the aptly-named Canberra Legend will appreciate the 2300m staying test in the $300,000 The Beauford at Newcastle on Saturday. By Great Britain stallion Australia, the four-year-old just faded late in the Rosehill Cup two weeks back and trainer Chris Waller believes he… Read More »
It wasn’t exactly D-day for Skew Wiff at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day, but the Kiwi mare’s trainer Mark Walker was still relieved to see her win. It was the four-year-old’s second start in Australia, following a sixth placing in the Group 2 Tristarc Stakes on October 21, and while those who… Read More »
Nick Ryan has higher aims than a Group 3 race at Caulfield as he saddles up Munhamek in the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes, but earlier on the card his attention will be taken with the challenge for Material Dreams to add to her growing string of successive wins. Material Dreams… Read More »
Peter Moody has seen enough of Quickster to say that despite her double-figure odds she can still mix it with the more fancied chances in the Group 1 Thousand Guineas at Caulfield on Saturday. Approaching the $1.5 million 1600-metre feature at her third start, the filly by Cox Plate-winning sure Shamus Award… Read More »
Though at longer odds in the markets, James Cummings is hoping Gravina can replicate similar form turnarounds of the past when he lines up at Newcastle on Saturday. The six-year-old lines up again in The Hunter (1300m) with the stable looking to go two places better than the third placing in the… Read More »
Co-trainer Grant Williams says he’s looking forward to seeing how his gun filly Keshi Boom goes from the hunter to the hunted as she looks to extend her undefeated status at Ascot on Saturday. Keshi Boom lowered the colours of reigning Two-Year-Old Horse of the Year, Super Smink in the Burgess Queen… Read More »
Last year’s Golden Slipper winner Fireburn has a date with an as-yet-unnamed Japanese stallion after it was announced on Thursday that the daughter of Rebel Dane had been retired. “She wasn’t on the market,” Louis Mihalyka of Laurel Oak Bloodstock said. “We were approached by an agent who I know well… Read More »
James Cummings is stepping promising filly Commemorative back in distance as an attempt at a Group 1 classic over a mile has come along too soon for her. Commemorative was the original favourite for the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) but Cummings has instead favoured a start in the Group 3 Thoroughbred… Read More »
Mitch Freedman has often thought he’d discovered one at a yearling sale that might have escaped the attention of other good judges only to miss out when the hammer fell. That is why the Ballarat trainer was so happy to land Skybird at last year’s Inglis Classic Sale. The favourite for Saturday’s… Read More »
He’s been racing in elite company of late and the Gary Portelli-conditioned Kintyre should appreciate the drop back to Group 3 grade in the Spring Stakes at Newcastle this Saturday. Whilst not measuring up against the likes of Tom Kitten in the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes last time out, the son… Read More »
Chris Waller might have two longer priced runners in the black-type feature at Newcastle on Saturday but despite their market positions for this event he could be eyeing Queensland Summer Carnival features for them down the track. Waller has accepted with three horses in the Group 3 Spring Stakes (1600m) with… Read More »
With a name like Coal Crusher you could reasonably expect the gelding to feel at home in a place like Newcastle, and Joe Pride will be hoping the horse feels just like that in the feature event The Hunter on Saturday. The $1 million highlight over 1300-metres takes New South Wales racing’s centre… Read More »
