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 »
Melbourne Cup Day could begin on a heavy surface if course manager Liam O’Keeffe’s latest weather guidance proves accurate. While glorious sunshine framed Saturday’s Victoria Derby meeting, conditions are tipped to shift markedly after a hot Sunday, with significant rain forecast to arrive. O’Keeffe said the anticipated downpour could push… Read More »
Italian born, French based trainer Alessandro Botti will be out to realise a long-held ambition when he saddles up Presage Nocturne in Tuesday’s G1 Melbourne Cup. “It’s a dream, I’ve never won a Group 1 race,” Botti told the media at Werribee on Sunday morning. “I hope that it’s the… Read More »
Rain is bearing down on Melbourne ahead of the famous first Tuesday in November, when the Melbourne Cup is run at Flemington Racecourse, with much of Victoria likely to stay soggy once showers kick off on Monday. Despite thickening high cloud on Sunday, temperatures will initially belie the incoming change… 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 »
Willie Mullins’ travelling foreman David Casey might not be a fan of barrier draws, but there were no complaints after Absurde came up with gate four for Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup. The Irish stayer, who finished seventh in 2023 and fifth in 2024, returns for a third crack at the Cup… 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 »
Read what the Jockeys and Trainers said following the Empire Rose Stakes 2025. Winning Trainers: Ciaron Maher How to describe her: “Ectastic, and appreciative and respectful. Just an amazing horse. To continually do what she does, she never ceases to amaze me.” “Can’t thank the team, Dec (Bates), he’s a… Read More »
Read what the Jockeys and Trainers said following The Golden Eagle 2025. Winning Trainers: Chris Waller On the mare: “She is a star. It is as simple as that. She does it each and every time. There is nothing that shows us that much at home. That heart and determination… 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 »
Read what the Jockeys and Trainers said following the Victoria Derby 2025. Winning Trainers: Ciaron Maher Ride by Zahra: “He took luck out of it. He’s riding on the crest of a wave. There’s no-one riding any better. He’s a great mate. It’s just fantastic for Godolphin and to be… Read More »
Read what the Jockeys and Trainers said following the Russell Balding Stakes 2025. Winning Trainers: Ciaron Maher (Johann Gerard-Dubord comments) On the win: “It was well deserved obviously. He has been running big races all prep. His run in The Everest was huge. To back it up two weeks later,… 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 »
Read what the Jockeys and Trainers said following the Coolmore Stud Stakes 2025. Winning Trainers: Anthony & Sam Freedman Anthony Speaking Being in Melbourne: “I came today, really only to support Sam. He’s been here all spring and we really haven’t had, what you would call, a great spring. This… Read More »
