Former trainer Robert Smerdon has lost his appeal against a life ban for his part in the “Aquanita Eight” scandal. The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal issued the decision late on Tuesday confirming the lifetime ban and $90,000 fine for Smerdon but reducing disqualifications for fellow trainers Tony Vasil and… Read More »
Trainer Tony McEvoy is planning to run Grand Scholar at the Gold Coast in the hope she will clinch a spot in the rich Magic Millions 3YO Guineas at the same track a week later. McEvoy, who trains in partnership with his son Calvin, has nominated Grand Scholar for Saturday’s… Read More »
Phillip Stokes admits Snitzkraft exceeded his expectations in his first start back from an injury lay-off and the trainer believes the sprinter has improved leading into the Standish Handicap. Five-year-old Snitzkraft won a 1200m open handicap on the Pakenham Cup program on December 7, his first start since a third… Read More »
Multiple Group One winner Hey Doc has won a jump-out at Werribee as he continues ticking over towards his next race assignment. Hey Doc returned from a lengthy injury absence and made a late spring cameo in Melbourne when third in the Group Three Kevin Heffernan Stakes at Sandown. He… Read More »
King Tomlola will have to defy a big weight to win at Randwick but trainer Gerald Ryan hopes that is countered by a drop in grade. The gelding has 62.5kg in Wednesday’s Bowerman’s Office Furniture Handicap (1800m) with senior jockey Brenton Avdulla to ride. Ryan was not tempted to to… Read More »
Clerk of the course Leo Dwyer will hang up his boots following todays Warrnambool meeting. Leo Dwyer who has just celebrated his 82nd birthday has been a clerk at Warrnambool racecourse for sixty years which included fifty eight May racing carnivals but he has called time on his long career… Read More »
Racing at Gosford on the NSW Central Coast has been called off after two races because of oppressive heat. The temperature climbed towards 40 degrees on Tuesday and Racing NSW stewards called the meeting off in the interests of human and equine welfare. The Nowra meeting on the South Coast… Read More »
In-form jockey Nash Rawiller will get a chance to avenge one of the most controversial incidents in Magic Millions history when he rides Kavak in the 2YO Classic. Kavak has a win and two seconds from three starts with Jim Byrne his regular jockey. With Byrne out indefinitely with a… Read More »
After their one-two finish in the Listed Sandown Cup at the end of the Melbourne spring carnival, stablemates Azuro and Wall Of Fire are now set for their next staying assignment. The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained pair will run in Wednesday’s Listed Bagot Handicap over 2800m, one of the… Read More »
Unbeaten Brisbane filly Dusty Tycoon has shown the interstate horses will not have it all their own way in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic with an impressive barrier trial win at Doomben. Dusty Tycoon was having her first serious hit-out since winning her second race from two starts at Doomben… Read More »
Premier Brisbane trainer Tony Gollan is still undecided on the Magic Millions target for Outback Barbie after her impressive barrier trial at Doomben. Outback Barbie ran in a 1000m-heat on Tuesday against several Magic Millions contenders and turned in one of the best efforts of the morning finishing a nose… Read More »
The forecast for extreme heat has prompted officials to reschedule an upcoming race meeting at Wangaratta, pushing it back by two days. Wangaratta was due to race on Saturday but Racing Victoria has moved the meeting to Monday after consultation with its veterinary department, the Bureau of Meteorology and the… Read More »
Racing has been called off at Nowra on the NSW south coast where bush fires are impacting on the area. Racing NSW made the decision on Tuesday morning to call off the afternoon’s program with hazardous smoke and hot temperatures forecast. There are also government warnings in place against travel… Read More »
Leading Magic Millions Guineas contender King Of Hastings has tuned up for his assignment with a barrier trial win at Rosehill. Trained by Anthony Freedman, King Of Hastings has done all his racing so far in Victoria but handled a major clockwise test on Monday with aplomb. He cruised to… Read More »
Lindsay Park three-year-old Conqueror will be racing for a trip to New Zealand for a rich sales-restricted race when he returns from a short break at Caulfield. Conqueror will run in a benchmark 78 race over 1400m on Saturday as a lead-up to the $1 million Karaka Millions 3YO Classic… Read More »
Mark Newnham believes Arousal is a stakes filly in the making and she will be given the chance to capitalise on a last-start win when she lines up at Randwick. She will be the trainer’s only representative at the meeting on Saturday when she runs in the Benchmark 72 for… Read More »
Tony McEvoy is looking forward to the day Secret Blaze gets into a staying race run at a solid tempo. But McEvoy does not see that happening on Wednesday when Secret Blaze runs in the Listed Bagot Handicap (2800m) at Flemington. Secret Blaze will be racing for the sixth time… Read More »
Having already bagged a Group One win at the Ellerslie carnival, James McDonald is looking for another aboard Australian sprinter Winter Bride in the Railway. The premier Sydney jockey returned home to New Zealand for Christmas and rode True Enough to win the Zabeel Classic on Thursday. Winter Bride is… Read More »
Gold Coast trainer Michael Costa believes things have finally fallen into place for Malahide as she heads for her biggest pay day on her home track. A last-start Eagle Farm winner, Malahide will be among the favourites for Saturday’s $250,000 Magic Millions Fillies and Mares Rising Stars Handicap (1300m). The… Read More »
The start of the new year will herald the doubling of the percentage taken from prize money to be allocated to equine welfare initiatives in Victoria. From Wednesday, two per cent of prize money distributed by Racing Victoria will be directed at those initiatives and programs of equine welfare, first… Read More »
