Ben Hayes and his brothers, Will and JD, are still trying to come to terms with being nosed out of Saturday’s Cox Plate with Mr Brightside, but they have not ruled out the prospect of having another crack at Hong Kong superstar Romantic Warrior before the year is out. Mr… Read More »
Quirky mare Espiona has given Kerrin Mcevoy a clean sweep of the first three editions of The Invitation, swooping late to get the verdict in a thrilling finish. McEvoy took out the race’s inaugural running on Icebath and backed it up last year aboard Promise Of Success before making it a hat-trick aboard the… Read More »
Lindsay Park galloper Apulia has shown his Victoria Derby credentials with a strong win in a lead up contest at Moonee Valley. Apulia took out the Group 2 The Vase (2040m) on Saturday to provide the perfect launch pad into the Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington next week. Providing Mark Zahra… Read More »
Imperatriz’s Victorian spring romp continued on Saturday when the superstar Kiwi sprinter added another Moonee Valley feature to her resume. The Mark Walker-trained five-year-old lived up to her prohibitive quote when she cruised to a 3-1/4-length Manikato Stakes win as $1.40 favourite with online betting sites. It was her third… Read More »
Tom Kitten made a one-act affair of the Spring Champion Stakes on Saturday, but fast-forward twelve months and James Cummings won’t be surprised to see him line up in a Cox Plate. Godolphin’s head trainer has a high opinion of the three-year-old, who gave sire Harry Angel his first Group 1 win… Read More »
A decision to ride Zeyrek quietly despite a lack of obvious tempo has reaped rewards for Team Hawkes with the gelding charging home to win the Craven Plate at Randwick. Disappointed to see him settle midfield and wide in the King Charles III Stakes (1600m) last start, co-trainer Michael Hawkes gave Tyler… Read More »
It wasn’t the race she was initially targeted at, but Prowess got her win at The Valley on Cox Plate when she won an eventful $300,000 Group 2 Crystal Mile. The Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained mare entered the season one of the favourites for the Cox Plate, but a minor… Read More »
Cleveland has won his first race in Australia from seven attempts, taking out the Group 2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m) on Friday night. A former Sydney Cup favourite and now with Kris Lees, the former Joseph O’Brien trained stayer is already assured of a Melbourne Cup start. Under a typically… Read More »
Lunar Flare has been ruled out of the Melbourne Cup and retired with a career ending injury. Trainer Grahame Begg announced on social media the immediate retirement of the mare on Saturday. Lunar Flare had finished an unlucky fourth in the Group 2 Moonee Valley Cup (2500m) on Friday night. “Regrettably Lunar Flare has been… Read More »
Once Uncommon James had recovered from a tough Caulfield run, Brisbane trainers Steven O’Dea and Matthew Hoysted had no hesitation in sticking to their original plans. When commencing the campaign of Uncommon James last month, the trainers had picked out the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday as the sprinter’s Grand Final. Uncommon James finished third to Imperatriz… Read More »
Damien Oliver notes some similarities between his first Cox Plate winner and his last ride in Australia’s weight-for-age championship at Moonee Valley. Australian racing Hall Of Fame Legend Bart Cummings supplied Dane Ripper to give Oliver the first of his two Cox Plate victories and it will be Edward Cummings, the grandson of… Read More »
A wide gate cruelled the chances of General Salute in the Golden Rose, but if he can run up to his previous form, connections are optimistic he can bounce back at Randwick. The colt was trapped three-deep and in the second half of the field in last months Group 1 feature… Read More »
Chris Waller knows what is takes to win the Cox Plate having trained Winx to win Australia’s best race on four consecutive occasions. But for something different this year, Waller will saddle his first three-year-old runner in the 2040m Group 1 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley on Saturday. Militarize, already a triple… Read More »
Even James Cummings seems a little surprised that Tom Kitten has put together a body of work that has him the short-priced favourite for Saturday’s Spring Champion Stakes at Randwick. That he is such a strong chance in a 2000-metre Group 1 doesn’t make a great deal of sense when you look… Read More »
John Sargent says Glad You Think So is “as good as I can get him” ahead of his Group 1 bid in the Spring Champion Stakes at Randwick. The progressive three-year-old passed an important class test when a close fifth in the Gloaming Stakes (1800m) last start, his first taste of stakes… Read More »
Jockey Pat Carbery is no stranger to Belgravia Stakes (1200m) success and wants to carry that momentum into Saturday’s Listed contest at Ascot. Pat Carbery won last year’s Belgravia Stakes with classy mare Amelia’s Jewel and before that rode Miss Solis (2013) and Megatic (2008) to respective wins. The pressure for… Read More »
Queensland trainer Tony Gollan says Antino is at the peak of his powers as he heads to a Stakes race at Moonee Valley. Antino will be fourth-up when he lines up in the Group 2 Crystal Mile (1600m) on Saturday. The Queensland galloper has raced exclusively in Melbourne this campaign, registering a… Read More »
Apprentice Jett Stanley is confident he can overcome an untimely shoulder injury in time to chase his first stakes win at Randwick. The young rider had a scare on Thursday morning when a horse reared and went over on him in the barrier stalls at Warwick Farm. Having dusted himself off,… Read More »
Alligator Blood may be a seven-year-old, but his co-trainer Gai Waterhouse says the gelding is finally coming of age. About to have his 34th race start and chase a 16th career win in Saturday’s Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley, Waterhouse is taken with the gelding. “He’s so big. When you see him, his… Read More »
Can The Inferno upset the odds-on favourite Imperatriz in the Manikato Stakes, trainer Cliff Brown doubts it. But the Mornington-based trainer heads to Moonee Valley on Saturday for the Group 1 1200m sprint confident The Inferno is in great order. “She’s a great mare and her runs have been fantastic, but he’s in great order,” Brown said. A former… Read More »
