Shane Nichols is realistic about Streets Of Avalon’s chances of upstaging some established stars in the Futurity Stakes but the trainer is adamant the sprinter-miler has something in his favour. Nichols and connections of Streets Of Avalon are preparing to run the five-year-old on a seven-day back-up in Saturday’s weight-for-age… Read More »
The Victoria Derby remains the race that got away from Shadow Hero and posed more questions than answers. The Group One Spring Champion Stakes winner started favourite in the 2500m-Classic on November 2 but finished fifth in a strung-out field, 10 lengths from the winner Warning. Shadow Hero’s trainer Mark… Read More »
Trainer Barry Baldwin is struggling to get fan favourite The Candy Man ready for the Group One Doncaster Mile. The Candy Man turned in what appeared the poorest run of his career when sixth in the $1 million Magic Millions Trophy (2400m) on January 14. The gelding was diagnosed with… Read More »
Talented Ballistic Boy will miss the Group Two Hobartville Stakes at Rosehill and give trainer Chris Anderson a two-handed assault at Eagle Farm. Australia has a vintage crop of three-year-olds this season and Queensland is no different with Ballistic Boy and stablemate Profit among the best. The pair are raced… Read More »
A full field of 18 plus one emergency has been declared for the Group One Oakleigh Plate with favourite Bivouac drawing barrier seven. Bivouac, winner of the Group One Golden Rose last spring, will be first-up from a spell in Saturday’s $500,000 handicap over 1100m and is one of four… Read More »
A small field has been declared for the Futurity Stakes but the weight-for-age Group One race is not lacking in quality. New Zealand star Melody Belle has barrier three for her first start of 2020 as she chases her 11th Group One win while Caulfield Guineas-winning colt Super Seth is… Read More »
Last start Group One CF Orr Stakes winner Alabama Express will bypass Saturday’s Futurity Stakes for the G1 Australian Guineas for three-year-olds the following week. Alabama Express upstaged his older rivals in the CF Orr Stakes at Caulfield with trainer Mike Moroney contenplating backing the horse up in the G1… Read More »
Gosford will host a new $500,000 race on its inaugural stand-alone Saturday meeting which also features the $250,000 Gold Cup. The Coast, a 1600m-race for three and four-year-olds, headlines the meeting on May 9. The race on the NSW Central Coast joins the $1 million Gong at Kembla Grange and… Read More »
Santa Ana Lane has taken another step towards defending his TJ Smith title with a third-placed finish in a barrier trial at Werribee. The Anthony Freedman-trained sprinter won last year’s TJ Smith and his autumn campaign has been geared towards that race again. He is expected to return in the… Read More »
Star New Zealand mare Melody Belle may be vulnerable when she makes her return to racing in the Futurity Stakes at Caulfield. The warning comes after Paul Richards, father of the mare’s trainer Jamie, rode Melody Belle in a gallop on the course proper at Caulfield on Tuesday. The work-out… Read More »
Assistant-trainer Sam Freedman does not see barrier one as a hindrance to the chances of favourite Hanseatic in the Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield. After coming up with barrier one, Hanseatic eased from $2.30 to $2.40 with PlayUp for Saturday’s Group One Blue Diamond Stakes for two-year-olds over 1200m. Hanseatic… Read More »
NSW South Coast communities hit by bushfires have received the initial relief package from funds raised at a special race day. The Australian Turf Club Foundation raised $150,000 from the Randwick meeting on January 25 and on Tuesday began the distribution of 1700 bales of hay for horses and other… Read More »
South Australian trainer Chris Bieg does not see a lack of race experience counting against three-year-old Free Of Debt in the Oakleigh Plate. Free Of Debt will be having his sixth start in Saturday’s 1100m-scamper at Caulfield, but that is offset by the minimum weight of 50kg. A ligament issue… Read More »
Having watched the success of European stayers in Australia, Albury trainer Mitchell Beer has jumped on the bandwagon, but with a different target. While his counterparts dream of success in races like the Melbourne Cup, Beer has his sights on capturing his hometown Cup next month. Beer went to England… Read More »
Reigning Blue Diamond Stakes favourite Hanseatic has drawn the inside barrier for the Group One race at Caufield. The Anthony Freedman-trained colt has won the Preview and Prelude leading into Saturday’s $1.5 million 1200m-race for two year-olds. He is at $2.40 to give Freedman and Godolphin back-to-back wins after Lyre… Read More »
Murwillumbah trainer Matt Dunn will saddle half the field in the rescheduled Northern Rivers heat of the Country Championships. The meeting has been transferred to Grafton on Thursday because of problems with the amount of rain at Coffs Harbour which forced the cancellation of racing on Tuesday. Because of the… Read More »
A capacity field of 16 has been declared for the Group One Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield. Of the 16 two-year-olds in Saturday’s Group One Blue Diamond Stakes over 1200m, nine are fillies. The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace stable holds the strongest hand with six runners – Ideas Man,… Read More »
Two of the top three market contenders for the Futurity Stakes at Caulfield have had their first look at the track ahead of the Group One race. New Zealand mare Melody Belle, with Paul Richards in the saddle, teamed with a member of the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace stable… Read More »
North Queensland jockey Mark Elliott has been disqualified for four years after his sixth positive random test to cannabis in a decade. Stewards opened an inquiry after a urine sample was taken from Elliott at a Townsville race meeting on January 25. Elliott pleaded guilty to providing a urine sample… Read More »
A better-than-expected win by Anaheed in the Rubiton Stakes has co-trainer Peter Snowden optimistic about the filly’s chances in the Group One Oakleigh Plate. Anaheed resumed from a spell with a 1-1/4-length win in quick time in the Group Two Rubiton Stakes (1100m) against older horses at Caulfield on February… Read More »
