A rev-up from Godolphin assistant trainer Darren Beadman was all the impetus James McDonald needed to turn in a faultless riding display and win the inaugural $1 million The Hunter aboard Savatiano. McDonald eased Savatiano across from her outside draw, controlling the tempo and kicking clear at the top of… Read More »
Racing Victoria stewards have adjourned an inquiry over trainer Peter Gelagotis’ alleged conduct towards a veterinary official at Sandown. Gelagotis was incensed Levendi was required to trot up before vets 45 minutes before the horse ran in the Group Three Kevin Heffernan Stakes (1300m) on Saturday. Veterinary staff then attempted… Read More »
Pretty Brazen will be given the opportunity to tackle the top autumn three-year-olds after a courageous victory in the Sandown Guineas. The Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained filly will be spelled following Saturday’s Group Two win and set for an autumn campaign that could potentially include the Australian Guineas at Flemington…. Read More »
The new Spring Stakes timeslot has proven no hurdle for Godolphin who has claimed its third successive win in the Group Three Newcastle feature with filly Asiago. Sheikh Mohammed’s team had captured the past two editions with Astoria (2017) and Aramayo (2018) when the race was held in September. In… Read More »
In-form mare Teleplay has exceeded trainer Mick Price’s expectations to claim a weight-for-age win by the barest margin in the Group Three Kevin Heffernan Stakes at Sandown. Teleplay won a Group Three race for mares during the recent Melbourne Cup carnival at Flemington and Price, who trains in partnership with… Read More »
Speedy Kalik again showed breeding is not always an indication of a horse’s best distance with his win at the Sunshine Coast. Kalik ($3.50) ran a class record of 57.02 seconds when he beat Le Palmier ($4.40) by a neck in the QTIS Three-Year-Old (1000m). The gelding is by Champions… Read More »
John Ramsey has ridden racing’s roller coaster of emotions over the past two weeks but he was back on top at Newcastle with a victory by city cast-off Pinup Miss. Ten days ago the bush trainer experienced one of his biggest career thrills when Never Listen finished second in the… Read More »
Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Craig Williams has turned around the fortunes of Viridine with a patient ride aboard the Godolphin gelding at Sandown. After finishing last at Flemington on the opening day of the Melbourne Cup carnival, Viridine came out on Saturday to win the Listed Doveton Stakes (1000m). Williams was… Read More »
A narrow victory in the Group Three Sandown Stakes on Gold Fields has given jockey Stephen Baster a memorable finish to his career. Baster was riding at his final meeting on Saturday before retiring to begin a new career as a real estate agent on the Mornington Peninsula from Monday…. Read More »
Peter and Paul Snowden have continued their strong start to the two-year-old season, adding the Max Lees Classic at Newcastle with debutante Tilia Rose. The hombred filly’s win at Saturday’s stand-alone meeting came seven days after stablemate Dame Giselle claimed the $1 million Golden Gift at Rosehill. Paul Snowden was… Read More »
Exciting galloper So Dapper showed why his connections were disappointed when he missed the winter carnival when he scored a runaway win at the Sunshine Coast. So Dapper ($5) went straight to the lead and cruised home to beat A Man To Match ($3.30) by 3-1/4 lengths in the Esplanade… Read More »
After breaking through for her maiden stakes race success, Xilong will have the bar raised even higher in her next preparation. Xilong led throughout to win the Listed Twilight Glow Stakes (1400m) at Sandown on Saturday with trainer Tony McEvoy announcing the filly would be spelled immediately. McEvoy, who trains… Read More »
Two-year-old filly Dusty Tycoon returned to one of the biggest ovations heard at the Sunshine Coast when she scored a debut win. Dusty Tycoon is raced by a Mirunners syndicate which has 1000 owners with several hundred of them on hand to watch the race. The Mirunners syndicates are an… Read More »
Ciaron Maher will continue to target Azuro towards 3200m races after the stayer added his third win over the distance in the Listed Sandown Cup. Maher, who trains in partnership with David Eustace, had $2.90 favourite Azuro and Wall Of Fire ($6) in Saturday’s Sandown Cup and the pair filled… Read More »
Godolphin and the Anthony Freedman stable continue to be a good mix after Hanseatic scored on debut in a stakes race at Sandown. The Freedman stable may not have large numbers for Godolphin but continually turn out winners for the “blue army”. Hanseatic continued that trend in the Listed Merson… Read More »
After back-to-back provincial wins, lightly raced filly Zoujea gets her first chance to chase a stakes race at Sandown. The Danny O’Brien-trained Zoujea registered a maiden win at Sale in the first start of her spring campaign then added another victory as a short-priced favourite in a benchmark race at… Read More »
The “For Sale” might be up on his stable but Clarry Conners certainly has no intentions to retire. Victory Lodge will go up for auction on Wednesday week with Conners no longer having the numbers to fill all the boxes at the Warwick Farm complex. The trainer, who has lived… Read More »
It took trainers Mick Cerchi and his son Luke a number of starts to work out stable recruit Midterm before they struck gold in the Kyneton Cup. At Sandown on Saturday the pair is hoping to add the Group Two Zipping Classic (2400m) to Midterm’s resume. Formerly known as the… Read More »
Three-year-old Conqueror could follow in the footsteps of stablemate Long Leaf and target the Karaka Million 3YO Classic in New Zealand after he contests the Sandown Guineas. Long Leaf won the million-dollar race over 1600m at Ellerslie in January, two starts after a Sandown Guineas placing and Lindsay Park co-trainer… Read More »
As the adage goes, ‘you’ve got to be in it to win it’ and that will be trainer Bjorn Baker’s weekend philosophy as he prepares a seven-strong team for the stand-alone meeting at Newcastle. Baker’s squad includes a trio of runners in the first edition of the $1 million The… Read More »
