Zac Lloyd has celebrated a Group race double at Randwick, adding the Tramway Stakes aboard Godolphin’s Pericles to his Furious Stakes win on the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Tiz Invincible. The champion Sydney apprentice was riding at his first Saturday meeting since returning from a three-week suspension, which stemmed from two separate… Read More »
David Payne has masterminded a Chelmsford Stakes boilover, producing roughie Navajo Peak to upstage several weight-for-age stars and put himself in the frame for some even bigger targets. The gelding was sent out the equal outsider of the Group 2 field at $41 but Payne took a different view, telling jockey Chad… Read More »
An era has ended with Chris Waller announcing the retirement of champion sprinter Nature Strip. The decision was made almost immediately after the nine-year-old finished down the track in the Concorde Stakes (1000m) at Randwick on Saturday with Waller convening a spontaneous press conference to confirm the news. Standing alongside Nature… Read More »
Michael Hawkes has compared Remarque to grand sprinter Chautauqua in terms of natural ability but says a number of issues have prevented him from realising his potential â until now. The five-year-old has put his hand up for a slot in The Everest with an against-the-odds win in Saturday’s Concorde Stakes (1000m) at… Read More »
Benedetta has ticked off an important Stakes race victory for her future as a broodmare, but trainer Jason Warren says there is a lot of unfinished business remaining. Having now won six of her eight career starts, Benedetta claimed her first ‘Black Type’ win when successful in the Group 3 Cockram Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield… Read More »
Champion apprentice Zac Lloyd has proven a capable fill in for Sydney’s leading jockey James McDonald, answering a late call-up to guide Tiz Invincible to a dynamic win in the Group 2 Furious Stakes at Randwick. McDonald injured his ankle in a race day mishap at the Wyong Cup meeting and while… Read More »
Trainers Tony and Calvin McEvoy never doubted the credentials of promising three-year-old Veight who returned with an impressive Stakes victory at Caulfield. Having his first start since finishing out of the money on a wet track in Sydney during the autumn, Veight returned to claim the Group 3 McNeil Stakes (1200m) on Saturday. The victory showed the McEvoy… Read More »
By his own high standards, it’s been a slow start to the new racing season for jockey Pat Carbery, but he’s determined to hit back at Belmont on Saturday. Carbery has picked up three plum rides and victory aboard Augment, My Bella Mae and Zephyra would be the perfect tonic on the… Read More »
Benaud landed the biggest win of his career when the John O’Shea-trained gelding took out an eventful $240,000 Wyong Gold Cup on Friday. Dylan Gibbons partnered the son of Reliable Man to a narrow win over Bois D’Argent in the 2100-metre Listed event, which saw several runners severely impacted when The Mediterranean broke down… Read More »
Trainer Greg Eurell says Papillon Club faces a big jump in class as she heads to Caulfield for her first start in mares’ company. Papillon Club kicks off her spring campaign in the Group 3 Cockram Stakes (1200m) on Saturday on a path Eurell hopes will lead to a Group 1 contest later in the spring. The Group… Read More »
The Group 3 McNeil Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday could prove pivotal to the direction Little Brose takes during the spring. While Lindsay Park trainers Ben, Will and J D Hayes are planning for a start in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on October 14, a win by the colt in the 1200m sprint on Saturday… Read More »
When Chris Waller sends a runner to Melbourne for the Group 1 season opener, it is a sign the horse has the right credentials. The last time Waller had representation in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield was in 2015 when Boban scored a narrow win while stablemate Weary finished in fourth… Read More »
Zac Lloyd’s ascension towards Sydney racing’s elite took another giant step on Thursday night when the star apprentice ended a decade of Chris Waller domination in the Bart Cummings Medal. Lloyd finished the season with a flourish to finish on 81 points, 17 clear of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott with Waller,… Read More »
Having already presented England’s Royal family with one horse racing trophy from Australia, Chris Waller is hoping he can prepare Chalk Stream to win them another this spring. The champion trainer had the opportunity to meet King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla during his trip to Royal Ascot in June, gifting… Read More »
James Cummings won’t be surprised to see unheralded mare Zapateo spoil the party when she takes on some big-name sprinters in the Concorde Stakes at Randwick. The multiple Group winner has a handy strikerate of seven victories from 18 starts but significantly, is proven over Saturday’s 1000-metre journey, a statistic Cummings says… Read More »
After a lengthy build-up, Karli’s Karma will kick off her campaign in the $100,000 Jolly Beggar Stakes at Belmont on Saturday. The classy six-year-old has not started since finishing unplaced in the G3 The Gold Rush (1400m) at Ascot last December. Summer Dickson says the Jolly Beggar Stakes is the first step towards… Read More »
John Sargent is looking to two of his most promising horses to make spring carnival statements when Palmetto and Perfect Thought step out in separate races at Randwick. After making a successful leap from benchmark company to win the $500,000 The Coast last preparation, Palmetto resumes in Saturday’s Group 2 Tramway Stakes (1400m)… Read More »
Kerry Parker is constantly trying to keep one step ahead of Think It Over as he manages his comeback from a tendon injury, including ensuring the grand campaigner remains mentally and physically fresh for his second-up run in the Chelmsford Stakes. Mindful horses can sprint well off a long break only to race… Read More »
Cranbourne trainers Ken and Kasey Keys can head to their spring goal without the expectation of Scheelite remaining unbeaten. Scheelite won his first two starts before returning from a break to be beaten out of a place in the Group 3 Vain Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on August 19. The colt returns to Caulfield on… Read More »
It has been one of the spellbinding rivalries of Australian racing, but will Nature Strip and Eduardo be going head-to-head for the final time in their Concorde Stakes showdown at Randwick? Now nine and 10-years-old respectively, the top sprinters are in the twilight of their incredible careers, which have crossed paths… Read More »
