Former Willie Mullins-trained galloper Vauban is on his third foray into the Melbourne Spring Carnival and will front up at Caulfield for the first time on Saturday. Vauban had gone straight into the Melbourne Cup in his two previous trips, but after running 11th in last year’s Cup was purchased by Australian Bloodstock and transferred into… Read More »
It is often said that Australian sprinters, in general, are the best in the world and generally that claim goes unchallenged given the combination of their inherent strength on the home front and their notable successes on the international scene. Well, they now have to defend that heavyweight title …… Read More »
It has been a long, at times tortuous climb, but the Robert Heathcote trained Rothfire has finally made it to The Everest race-day — that is to the race-day and not yet to the big race itself. While it is likely he may not reach the summit of that long-held… Read More »
Bankers Choice must pass a Racing Victoria veterinary inspection to take his place in Saturday’s $5 million Sportsbet Caulfield Cup (2400m). All other accepted runners have been cleared to start. Racing Victoria advised on Thursday that the Lindsay Park-trained gelding, who arrived at Flemington shortly before the inspection after travelling… Read More »
Though his jockey career ended earlier than he may have aimed for initially, Nick Keal is enjoying the training ride and having broken through with a tricky mare last start, he is hoping to so it again with She’s Brutal at Ipswich on Friday. While 27-year-old Keal took less than eight weeks… Read More »
While discussions might have taken place about Tentyris running in The Everest, Anthony and Sam Freedman and the Godolphin team did not lose focus on the colt’s Grand Final. The Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes, considered the stallion-making race for sprinting three-year-olds in the spring, is the focus of the… Read More »
Ben Hayes admits he isn’t sure just how good War Machine might be heading into Saturday’s $20 million The Everest — and that’s exactly what excites him most. The Stradbroke winner has been unbeaten since joining the Lindsay Park team and has drawn perfectly in barrier four for the world’s… Read More »
Ole Dancer will bid to replicate what her sire did five years ago by winning a Group 1 during the Caulfield Cup Carnival. Ole Kirk took the Caulfield Guineas in 2020 while his daughter Ole Dancer lines up in the filly’s version on Saturday, the Thousand Guineas (1600m). Ole Dancer… Read More »
The Lindsay Park stable knows what it is like to score in the Caulfield Cup with a longshot. In 2017 when David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig were at the helm, Boom Time took out the race for unheralded jockey Cory Parish. Move to 2025, and Lindsay Park, now… Read More »
The Silver Eagle will be a fork in the road for lightly raced mare Gerringong as connections weigh up several feature race options in the coming weeks. Jockey Tim Clark, who partnered her when runner-up to Manaal in the Golden Pendant last start, said Saturday’s Randwick assignment would be important in determining where… Read More »
Japanese trainer Katsunori Tanaka is hoping to join his father-in-law as the winner of one the ‘three majors’ during the Melbourne Spring Carnival. Tanaka’s father-in-law Yoshito Yahagi prepared Lys Gracieux to win the 2019 Cox Plate, before Tanaka had even taken out a trainer’s licence. Having held that licence now for five years,… Read More »
The task of toppling Hong Kong superstar Ka Ying Rising isn’t the only thing on Chris Waller’s mind ahead of The Everest as the champion trainer prepares a three-strong squad for the $20 million race. Twelve months ago, Joliestar was luckless in the corresponding race, getting shuffled back to last on… Read More »
Bjorn Baker is nothing if not bold and he has no hesitation in defying convention by pitting three-year-old filly Within The Law against some of Australia’s most seasoned weight-for-age stars in the King Charles III Stakes at Randwick. Within The Law has never raced against horses outside her own age group and… Read More »
A new recruit and a stable stalwart headline Joe Pride’s assault on the Sydney Stakes and he is expecting both sprinters to give the Everest consolation a shake. Godolphin gelding Golden Mile will make his debut for the yard in Saturday’s Group 3 sprint, alongside Coal Crusher and Dragonstone. While he says… Read More »
Globe has officially secured his place in this year’s prestigious Cox Plate after connections paid the $200,000 late-entry fee on Wednesday. The decision comes just days after the talented galloper surged into Cox Plate contention with a stunning upset victory in last Saturday’s Group 1 Might And Power Stakes at… Read More »
“Why not the St Leger, it’s a famous and historical race,” recalls Laurie Macri, the former ATC Chairman when the staying event for The $20m TAB Everest Day was named the ATC St Leger Stakes. “History confirms this race had a place in the program as the former AJC St… Read More »
It has been a while coming, but French-bred galloper Wootton Verni has finally broken through on Australian shores, claiming the Group 3 Coongy Cup at Caulfield. Wootton Verni came to Australia late last year to join the Chris Waller stable, with Wednesday’s victory in the 2000m contest coming at his… Read More »
Not content with winning Victoria’s first two-year-old feature of the season, Lindsay Park further flexed its juvenile muscle in that state’s second. The Ben, Will and Jd Hayes training team provided the quinella of Wednesday’s $200,000 Listed Debutant Stakes at Caulfield when Torture defeated Free Flying. It followed Listed Maribyrnong Trial… Read More »
Overpass is among the outsiders for the $20 million The Everest but trainer Bjorn Baker believes he is not only over the odds but capable of being a spoke in the wheel for Hong Kong champion Ka Ying Rising. Baker’s gelding is a $51 chance and will be lining up… Read More »
Ciaron Maher concedes it can now be rocks or diamonds with Pride Of Jenni, but Victoria’s leading trainer is optimistic the crowd favourite can make it back-to-back wins for the first time in almost two years. The veteran mare returns to Sydney to the first time in 12 months to contest… Read More »
