History was always going to be made at Doomben on Wednesday, the only thing to be decided was by who. But it is Angela Jones who is being feted as the first woman to win the Brisbane Jockeys’ Premiership after surviving a challenge from Emily Lang. The best Jones could manage… Read More »
Trainer Gerard Moloney and his jockey son Patrick did not hold high expectations for debutant Express Class at Sandown. But their attitude had changed following the Sportsbet Race Previews Handicap (1000m) on Wednesday after the gelding scored a dominant win. Settling back in the field, Express Class ($31) unwound a powerful finish… Read More »
Like a fine wine, trainer Michael Trotter says Rumbled Again is getting better with age. Rumbled Again turns eight on Friday and Trotter says the mare could not be in any better physical order as she makes her return from a break. The Victorian Jockeys’ Association Trophy (1410m) at Flemington on Saturday… Read More »
Kate Pateman’s return to racing reached its pinnacle on Saturday when she booted home The Coolakin King at Roebourne to secure the Country Racing Association’s Leading Jockey title. It marked an outstanding comeback for Pateman who stepped away from racing for four years to focus on family life following the… Read More »
The upcoming return of boom four-year-old Jokers Grin has trainer Bernie Miller up and about with very good reason, declaring the son of Maschino to be back bigger and stronger. Jokers Grin is back in work after April’s fairytale triumph in the $5 million Quokka, a victory that earned him… Read More »
The Ciaron Maher stable has high hopes of Exit reaching greater heights and as part of the filly’s education she is likely to be Flemington bound. A benchmark 70 race over 1400m for three-year-olds on Saturday is the likely next assignment for Exit who scored first-up over 1300m at Sandown on July… Read More »
There is a sense of spring in the air with a strong set of jump-outs scheduled for Caulfield. Group 1 winners Magic Time, Attrition, Mornington Glory, Pinstriped, Desert Lightning, La Dorada and Smokin’ Romans are set to go around in the opening heat over 800m on Wednesday. The jump-out session… Read More »
An interrupted Autumn campaign left Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott rueing what might have been with Newgate Bloodstock and China Horse Club owned colt North England. High up in markets for the Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) since his very first public trial on September 23rd, the son of the… Read More »
Grahame Begg will gift Tom Prebble a prime early-season opportunity this Saturday with the top apprentice rider to partner Splash Back in the Group 3 Aurie’s Star Handicap at Flemington. The Cranbourne trainer identified the 1200-metre handicap as the most suitable next start for the explosive mare after her jaw-dropping win over 1420m… Read More »
Victoria’s ‘Nursery of Champions’ will undergo a new look from the new racing season, which commences on Friday, with the Bendigo Jockey Club welcoming on a new partner. Ladbrokes have teamed up with the leading country club, striking a new three-year seal that will see the Ladbrokes name attached to… Read More »
Established top-liners will continue to emerge at the trials in Sydney this week, but it is not only the Group-class trials that feature potential spring stars. A number of soon-to-be three-year-olds who were key players in feature two-year-old racing earlier this season will be in action at Rosehill on Tuesday… Read More »
The Melbourne Cup has been circled as the spring goal for import Sir Delius but the path he takes to get there is yet to be determined. Along with stablemate Vauban and star mare Via Sistina, Sir Delius is an $11 equal favourite with betting sites for Australia’s most famous… Read More »
Matthew Cartwright is confident the foundations laid in his initial stint will help him consolidate his position in New Zealand, but the talented young rider is determined to not suffer second-season blues. The Victorian jockey will soon be on a plane back across the ditch, where he will look to capitalise… Read More »
Bridal Waltz secured what co-trainer Peter Moody considered a bonus Group win at Caulfield on Saturday and he is optimistic she can continue to rise through the grades. The well-bred Snitzel filly made it back-to-back Black Type wins with a win in the $200,000 Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes (1200m). It followed victory in… Read More »
She isn’t the most reliable horse in training but Cigar Flick has managed to end a 13-month run of outs with a barnstorming performance on the final Saturday city meeting of the Sydney season. Having been out of the winner’s list since scoring at Eagle Farm in June last year,… Read More »
Jockey Heavelon Van Der Hoven has orchestrated a perfect farewell to Sydney racing, celebrating his first NSW metropolitan win at his final meeting. The 32-year-old, who will relocate to Brisbane from Sunday, steered the Jim and Greg Lee-trained Glorious Moments ($3.80 equal fav) to an emphatic 4-1/4 length victory in Saturday’s The… Read More »
Jimmy The Bear narrowly failed his first test at 2400 metres, but it took a close relation to one of the greatest stayers Australia has seen to deny the crowd favourite. The John Moloney-trained Dictionary, a nephew to Makybe Diva, outlasted Patrick and Michelle Payne’s winter warhorse to score a maiden… Read More »
Peter Moody suspects the Spring Carnival might come around a fraction early for Ole Dancer but the Pakenham trainer is open to the idea of giving her the chance to land a feature win. The untapped filly took her record to two wins from as many starts with a tenacious… Read More »
The Rosebud is the likely short-term target for emerging colt Nashville Jack after he underlined his class with a strong first-up win in the opening race at Randwick. Competitive in the Silver Slipper and Black Opal Stakes during a two-start autumn campaign, the Brad Widdup-trained youngster had trialled well coming into… Read More »
It was hard not to be impressed by King Of Light’s debut performance at Pinjarra three weeks ago, the two-year-old turning heads with a dominant win that stamped him as one to follow. King Of Light was stone cold last with 200m remaining but unleashed a powerful finishing burst to… Read More »
