Damian Lane suspected she would be fine, but Melbourne’s leading rider is now even more at ease with Amelia’s Jewel’s ability to handle The Valley after giving her a look at the circuit on Monday morning. Lane partnered the Simon Miller-trained mare in her first look at the unique track ahead… Read More »
The big miles are one of the best aspects of Australian racing and one of the great days on the turf is Epsom day where Randwick will be on show with so many features. That G1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) will be yet another open betting contest with many hopes. Pericles ($6)… Read More »
Charm Stone did not go as close in the Golden Rose as In Secret, but Michael Kent Jnr remains confident in her ability to also use it as a springboard to Coolmore Stud Stakes success. The 1200-metre Group 1 at Flemington on November 4 is the most likely next start for Charm Stone,… Read More »
Being trained at Flemington and having performed well in the Penfolds Derby Preview are both positives in the eyes of Gai Waterhouse as Gold Bullion won the lead-up contest with stablemate Ambassadorial finishing third. Gai Waterhouse first her won the Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) in 1995 with Nothin’ Leica Dane and 28… Read More »
Another shrewd placement from John Sargent sees his stable with a genuine VRC Oaks chance after Harlow Mist won the Kennedy Oaks Preview (1800m) at Flemington and maintaining a perfect race record. At her third start, and after wins at Goulburn and Scone, the three-year-old ran 0.27 seconds outside of Barb Raider’s… Read More »
John O’Shea hasn’t given up on Lost And Running making a late bid for an Everest berth, despite his unplaced first-up performance in the Shorts. The scratching of reigning champion Giga Kick on Saturday with a muscle tear means slot holder James Harron is back in the market for a runner, while Godolphin,… Read More »
Damien Oliver landed his first Group 1 win since announcing his impending retirement when the champion jockey partnered Alligator Blood to a second-straight win in the $750,000 Underwood Stakes. Oliver made the most of one final ride aboard gritty on-pacer before regular rider Tim Clark returns from injury in the 1800-metre event at… Read More »
They don’t call Joao Moreira ‘The Magic Man’ for nothing. The internationally decorated jockey was at his brilliant best in Saturday’s Golden Rose (1400m), extricating Militarize from a sticky position halfway up the straight and sooling him home to post a last-stride win. Moreira has now ridden Militarize three times for as… Read More »
Uncle Bryn went one better than last year when he dominantly secured the Caulfield Cup ballot exemption that accompanies victory in the Cattanch’s Jewellers MRC Foundation Cup. The Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained import lived up to the high rating the stable has had on him since landing in Australia when… Read More »
Steparty will be defending an unbeaten record in next month’s Caulfield Guineas after the colt scored a tenacious win in the main Victorian lead-up to next month’s $3 million Group 1. The Paul Preusker-trained three-year-old added a fifth picket to the fence he has been building since winning a Ballarat maiden… Read More »
It wasn’t the prettiest win, but Espiona has raced herself into contention for trainer Chris Waller’s Everest slot with a commanding performance in the Golden Pendant at Rosehill. The quirky mare wanted to get her head to the side as she ranged up to eventual third placegetter Banana Queen but once jockey… Read More »
Intent on qualifying Athabascan for the Melbourne Cup, trainer John O’Shea will bypass a start in the Metropolitan and head straight to Victoria with the in-form stayer. The Irish import made it two wins on the trot when he stormed home from the back in Saturday’s Colin Stephen Quality (2400m) at Rosehill,… Read More »
Trainer Bjorn Baker is keeping a lid on Everest talk about his exciting colt Ozzmosis, but his owners are keen to run the undefeated three-year-old in the $20 million sprint if a slot holder comes calling. That scenario is a step closer after Ozzmosis resumed with a devasting victory in Saturday’s… Read More »
Star sprinter Giga Kick has been ruled out of The Everest with a torn muscle sustained in his first-up run at Moonee Valley. Giga Kick was beaten into third place behind Imperatriz in the Group 2 McEwen Stakes (1000m) at The Valley on September 9, after missing the start. Jockey Craig Williams made… Read More »
The much-loved Broome Cup will shift back a week in 2024 as part of improvements to the iconic north-west racing season. Racing and Wagering Western Australia Thoroughbred Operations Manager Vinny Meens said the change to the traditional timing was being announced as early as possible to help visitors plan their… Read More »
Punters have honed in on Aztec Ruler to take out the Tabtouch Stakes (1600m) at Belmont on Saturday and trainer Stefan Vahala is confident his talented gelding can continue his winning ways. Free of any injury concerns that stifled his three-year-old season, Aztec Ruler is living up to the potential and… Read More »
Trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr are not going to let a wide barrier stop them from pressing on with their original plans for Hezashocka. The New Zealand-bred galloper drew the widest gate in a capacity field in the Group 3 MRC Foundation Cup (2000m) at Caulfield on Saturday. Under normal… Read More »
In a bid to get Little Brose to concentrate, the Lindsay Park stable has called for a set of blinkers ahead of the colt’s outing at Caulfield. Little Brose steps up to the 1400m for the first time in blinkers when he runs in the Group 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude on Saturday. And… Read More »
Damien Oliver will be looking to add to his Group 1 tally when he partners Alligator Blood possibly for the last time at Caulfield. Alligator Blood runs in the Underwood Stakes (1800m) on Saturday with Oliver aboard before the champion jockey is expected to hand the reins back to Tim Clark in coming weeks. Clark was… Read More »
The Sydney jockeys’ room is widely regarded as one of the most competitive and the intensity is set to go up a notch with the injection of two global stars for the Golden Rose meeting. Ryan Moore and Joao Moreira are both in town to partner a couple of the autumn’s best… Read More »
