Ramornie Handicap ambitions might not come to fruition for Hellenism this year but a shot at The Kosciuszko is on the cards after her determined Highway Handicap victory at Rosehill. While trainer Aiden St Vincent has not ruled out backing up the five-year-old in Wednesday’s feature Grafton sprint, the decision is likely… Read More »
The Chris Waller-trained Tycoonist has ended a frustrating run of minor placings, leading throughout to score an overdue win at Rosehill. The $2.15 favourite had finished in the minors at his past three starts but under his 60kg top weight, he got the job done on Saturday, staving off the late… Read More »
Adam Durrant says if Tena Koutou keeps progressing, he’s a top chance of claiming the Aquanita Stakes (2000m) at Belmont Park on Saturday. The Blackfriars gelding is chasing a winning hatrick in the Aquanita Stakes after recording strong mile victories at Kalgoorlie and Pinjarra. Durrant feels Tena Koutou, closely related… Read More »
A feature race win at the Sunshine Coast would be the icing on the cake for Tony Gollan as he closes out another successful winter carnival in Queensland. The leading trainer’s highlight was a Group 1 victory with Vega One in the Kingsford-Smith Cup, that horse narrowly missing a second major when… Read More »
With two big guns sidelined for the year – and possibly longer – Tony Gollan is hoping some less-heralded stable runners can close out the winter carnival on a winning note at Caloundra on Saturday. Gollan has the fillies Glitter Strip and The Actuary in the Winx Guineas, while Snitch is out to complete the… Read More »
Best known as the trainer of two-time Group One winner and Cox Plate runner-up Castelvecchio, Richard Litt has tasted the highs that racing can offer. He also knows they don’t last forever. With Castelvecchio now enjoying a new chapter at stud, Litt has reverted to his bread and butter – tried… Read More »
The decision to help out a friend has led to Brett Lazzarini’s second coming as a trainer, more than 25 years after he walked away from the sport. Lazzarini did his apprenticeship under Dr Geoff Chapman and Tony Wildman during the late 1970s and early 1980s before taking out a licence in… Read More »
An awkward draw at a recent Flemington meeting has caused a rethink to the program of recent longshot winner Romancer. Instead of being aimed at Saturday’s VRC/CRV Winter Championship Final (1600m), Grahame Begg and connections elected to concentrate on the Listed All Victorian Sprint Series Final (1200m). Romancer won a heat of… Read More »
Matt Dunn is confident Magic Ruler has more strings to his bow than simply being a mudlark, but he is happy to wait to have that theory confirmed. The three-year-old has won two of his past three starts on heavy tracks and is set to get similar conditions in the Ranvet Handicap… Read More »
The Robbie Griffiths and Mathew de Kock stable is hoping a recent victory has given Token Spirit the confidence to score again at Flemington. Token Spirit lines up in the Mahogany Challenge Final (2500m) on Saturday, the final of a series of middle distance and staying races for three-year-olds. Having… Read More »
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace stable is looking beyond a late season race at Flemington with two-year-old Mennea. Engaged in the Next Generation Sprinters Series Final on Saturday, Mennea will be joined by stablemate The Art Of Flying in the 1200m sprint. Eustace handed a strong tip for Mennea,… Read More »
Simon Zahra is hoping a swing in the weights will favour Odeon in the VRC/CRV Winter Championship Final at Flemington. The Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra stable have had a single goal for Odeon this preparation, a Listed race at Flemington. That race comes around on Saturday, the VRC/CRV Winter… Read More »
Keen to make the most of Sydney’s wet tracks, Joe Pride has confirmed Kaapfever will back up from his narrow second in the Stayer’s Cup in a bid to go one better at Rosehill. Pride has been monitoring the six-year-old’s recovery from last weekend’s performance behind proven two-miler Sweet Thomas… Read More »
Farrier, endurance rider, horse breaker, jockey, accomplished horsewoman. Now you can add successful trainer. Kirsten Melis celebrated her first winner at Northam today (Thursday) after Oceanzara won the Wheatbelt Winterama Maiden (1300m). With emerging apprentice, Holly Watson aboard, the four-year-old mare finished full of running and defeated odds on favourite Better In Kit by… Read More »
A start in the Kosciuszko is back-of-mind for Hellenism’s trainer Aiden St Vincent, who has two other races on his short-term wish list, starting with the Highway Handicap at Rosehill. The mare is an early favourite for Saturday’s 1100m event and St Vincent is keen to see her put another victory… Read More »
Mark Ford can’t wait for Saturday’s Belmont Park meeting to come around. The former Zimbabwean and South African horseman is filled with nervous energy and excitement. It’s been a long road travelled by Ford but in the Listed Aquanita Stakes he starts his first Australian runner in a black-type race…. Read More »
The Midway Handicaps will become a regular fixture at Sydney Saturday meetings, but trainer Richard Litt is hoping to etch his name in the record books by capturing the inaugural edition. The Warwick Farm horseman will saddle up three runners –Catapult, Wander and Sedition – and he regards all as genuine each-way chances…. Read More »
Harry Coffey hopes his trip to town will provide he and his father Austy a rare city success. The father-and-son team team with Messignadi in the Listed Taj Rossi Series Final (1600m) and Miss Cheviots in the Next Generation Sprinters Series Final (1200m) at Flemington on Saturday. Based at Swan Hill, the Coffey’s are infrequent visitors to metropolitan… Read More »
South Australian trainer Travis Doudle was hoping to test his stayer Not Usual Glorious at Flemington after three unbeaten runs in his home state. But the prospects of a good track means Doudle has decided to miss the Banjo Patterson Series Final (2600m) on Saturday. A former New Zealand galloper, Not Usual Glorious has had… Read More »
The state border closures have not prevented Sydney trainer Joe Pride from sending smart stayer Stockman north to raid the Queensland coffers in the Listed Caloundra Cup. While the COVID-19 restrictions mean neither Pride nor his staff can travel interstate, the horse will be well cared for by Brisbane-based co-trainers Steven O’Dea… Read More »
