A decade after Michelle Payne became the first woman win Australia’s most famous race, Jamie Melham has etched herself into racing history becoming the second steering Half Yours to victory in the Melbourne Cup (3200m). It was a 19th Group 1 win for one of the country’s most high profile… Read More »
The disappointment of an unlucky debut is now nothing but a distant memory for the connections of Tornado Valley, who won Tuesday’s Maribyrnong Plate at Flemington. The Ciaron Maher-trained son of Too Darn Hot rebounded from a third placing in the Listed Debutant Stakes at Caulfield on October 15 to… Read More »
Jamie Melham is routine driven and likes nothing better than being out on horseback. The endless media calls ahead of riding the Half Yours in the Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on Tuesday has made that even more important. Melham partnered Half Yours to win the Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 18… Read More »
There are some factors different to the scene that saw Robbie Dolan push longshot Knight’s Choice across the line to win the Melbourne Cup last year, but even after that victory, he still is not taking his ride on Royal Supremacy for granted at Flemington on Tuesday. “Last year it was scorching weather,… Read More »
Since arriving at Joe Pride’s stables Headley Grange has been a winner. The son of Exosphere has compiled ten wins and six placings from just 19 starts for the Warwick Farm-based trainer and he hopes that run can continue in the $3 million Big Dance at Royal Randwick on Melbourne Cup… Read More »
Changingoftheguard might be one of the roughies for Tuesday’s $10 million Melbourne Cup, but just getting into the race is an achievement for Kris Lees. It will be the Newcastle trainer’s first Melbourne Cup runner for the race’s most successful owner Lloyd Williams. Williams is part of a big group that… Read More »
UK trainers Simon and Ed Crisford know a Melbourne Cup contender when they see one. They after all did bring 2023 winner Without A Fight to Australia in 2022 when he finished 13th behind Gold Trip before he was left in the care of Anthony and Sam Freedman when successful. The… Read More »
Trainer Willie Mullins will chase a rare first when he flies in for the Melbourne Cup. On Sunday morning (Melbourne time), Mullins registered his first win at the Breeders’ Cup meeting in the US when Ethical Diamond took out the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar. Mullins is now bound… Read More »
No-one would begrudge trainer Brian Ellison finally having some luck in the Melbourne Cup. Ellison has been coming to Melbourne for the ‘race that stops a nation’ for 20 years, but things have not panned out. In 2005, a gallop in preparation for the Melbourne Cup at Flemington went awry… Read More »
Everything has come up roses for Half Yours since Tony and Calvin McEvoy bought him and the father/son training team have their fingers crossed things continue to bloom for just a couple more days. The five-year-old gelding is favourite for Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup, in which he will be ridden by… Read More »
In a long and successful training career, Tony McEvoy is a step closer to achieving his Melbourne Cup dream. His Caulfield Cup winner Half Yours drew barrier eight which has seen the gelding retain outright favouritism in Tuesday’s 3200-metre Group 1 feature at Flemington. Half Yours leads the Melbourne Cup odds… Read More »
There have been comparisons made to Hall Of Famer Winx, and the Chris Waller-conditioned Autumn Glow ($1.75F) has continued her winning run taking out the $10,000,000 Golden Eagle at Royal Randwick in fine fashion. The victory takes her tally to eight straight to start the career, as she proved too… Read More »
Observer played a key role in an unforgettable first day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival for Godolphin, Ciaron Maher and Mark Zahra with a dominant win in Saturday’s $2 million Victoria Derby. The son of Ghaiyyath gave Godolphin the two three-year-old Group 1 features when he backed up the Coolmore… Read More »
Pride Of Jenni wound back the clock two years when she ran her rivals ragged to win the Empire Rose Stakes at Flemington. Success in the 2023 version of the Group 1 race for mares paved the way for Pride Of Jenni to a further two wins at the highest… Read More »
Many believed Jimmysstar ($2.50F) was the run of the race in The Everest a fortnight ago, and those opinions have been franked with a dominant display in the $3,000,000 Russell Balding Stakes. Trained by the in-form stable of Ciaron Maher, the son of Per Incanto settled mid-field on the fence… Read More »
The Anthony and Sam Freedman stable had been enduring a tough spring campaign, but the victory of Tentyris in the Coolmore Stud Stakes has given the team something to celebrate. And a start against the older horses in the Group 1 Champions Sprint (1200m) next Saturday is on the cards… Read More »
Not for the first time in the last eight days, Mark Zahra steered a three-year-old to short-priced favouritism for a Melbourne Cup Carnival Classic with an effortless win one of the key lead-ups. The white-hot hoop enjoyed an armchair ride aboard Getta Good Feeling in Saturday’s Group 2 Wakeful Stakes… Read More »
In-form jockey Mark Zahra cannot remember having a stronger book of rides ahead of the opening day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival at Flemington. Zahra has been booked for favourite Observer in the Victoria Derby (2500m), second pick Tentyris in the Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) and third favourite Leica Lucy in the Empire Rose… Read More »
In a former life as a jockey, Nick Ryan does not have fond memories of Victoria Derby Day. A champion apprentice, Ryan wasted hard to ride Alinghi in what is now the Empire Rose Stakes at 47.5kg, only to run a narrow second as the $1.70 favourite, the closest he came… Read More »
The Lindsay Park team of Ben, Will and Jd Hayes may not have the same Victoria Derby Day firepower as their father once had, but they are looking at hopefully walking away with a major prize that has eluded the stable. In his first year after taking over from his father Colin at… Read More »
