Prizemoney increases for Victorian racing was the focus point for this week, along with news on a couple of riders, on completely different sides of the spectrum. All that and more in this weeks edition of ‘The Good, The Bad and The Ugly’. KEY NEWS: MRC Have Everest Fever In… Read More »
Silvera will get his chance in Sydney after he won the final stakes race of the Queensland season at Eagle Farm. Sent out favourite, Silvera ($2.70) had a lovely run behind the pace before he beat Araaja ($31) by a length in the Listed Tattersall’s Mile (1600m). The gelding won… Read More »
A cause of frustration to his trainers, Prezado has returned to winning form with victory on the straight track at Flemington. Prezado looked to have a promising career in front of him when he broke his maiden status with victory at Flemington on Melbourne Cup day in 2017, but wins… Read More »
After almost 12 months between wins, Smartedge has now put two together, dispensing with a couple of spruik horses in the process at Randwick. Favourite Ljunberg ($2.35) and Notation ($3.10) were the only two punters wanted in Saturday’s PFD Food Services Handicap (1400m). With Christian Reith aboard, Smartedge ($13) stole… Read More »
The disappointment of Healing Hands’ inglorious display as favourite in the Highway Handicap has been tempered by the later discovery he had bled. Mudgee trainer Gayna Williams was literally on the highway home from Randwick on Saturday when she looked at Healing Hands in the float and discovered he had… Read More »
In form jockey Matt McGillivray showed how much he has matured as a jockey when he completed a great winter by winning the $200,000 Queensland Cup on Azuro. McGillivray made it seven stakes wins for the winter when took the favourite Azuro ($2.70) to the lead at the 1600m and… Read More »
Huntly Castle will be aimed towards the Group One Victoria Derby this spring after passing a distance test as a late-season two-year-old in the Byerley Handicap at Flemington. The Byerley (1800m) on the penultimate weekend of the season is the only race restricted to two-year-olds in Melbourne over further than… Read More »
Provincial star Sir Elton has had his colours lowered for the first time at Randwick by a filly whose trainer believes will be a spring star. The Chris Waller-trained Haut Brion Her ($3.60) wore down $1.65 favourite Sir Elton in Saturday’s Benchmark 74 race over 1200m with the latter then… Read More »
Imported stayer Lord Belvedere will be given the opportunity to progress to bigger spring staying races after scoring a stylish mid-winter victory at Flemington. Having his third Australian start, Lord Belvedere recorded his second win since arriving from England with victory in Saturday’s Harry White Handicap. Sent off the $3.10… Read More »
The Anderson-Heathcote training partnership continued its great start when Our Mantra gave them their 26th winner since May at Eagle Farm. The partnership accepted with Our Mantra in the Listed Queensland Cup (3200m) and the Des Lambart Memorial Handicap (2200m) but elected to run the gelding in the shorter race…. Read More »
Trainer Saab Hasan hopes the victory of Sirius Suspect at Flemington will prove the best advertisement in attracting more horses to his stable. Concerned Sirius Suspect may have been underdone after missing a gallop during the week, Hasan was overjoyed with the all-the-way win in Saturday’s Flemington Event Staff Handicap…. Read More »
Despite pre-race plans having to be scrapped, two-year-old Excellent Proposal has managed to bring his winning form from Kembla Grange to Randwick. The Richard and Michael Freedman-trained youngster came from near last to win Saturday’s Australian Turf Club Handicap (1400m). He led to win his debut at Kembla last month… Read More »
Star Of Michelin continued a family tradition when he lived up to his breeding to win at Eagle Farm. Star Of Michelin had won his previous start at Eagle Farm in a midweek race when $41 but there were no such big odds on Saturday with the gelding starting at… Read More »
More than a year and a half after first riding the Chris Waller-trained Carzoff to a placing in a Sydney race, apprentice Blaike McDougall has reunited with the imported stayer for a win at Flemington. The Riverina-based McDougall has ridden more than 100 winners this season and brought up his… Read More »
Champion trainer Chris Waller moved a step closer to achieving another of his aims with his Queensland stable when Sparky Lad won at Eagle Farm. Waller trained his 47th metropolitan winner and his 60th overall in Queensland for the season when Sparky Lad ($4) beat Sienna Rose ($7) by a… Read More »
Dual Group-winning filly Meryl has won a Godolphin-packed barrier trial at Rosehill, beating Golden Slipper winner Kiamichi. Trained by Lee Curtis, Meryl won Friday’s 900m-heat by a length from Godolphin’s Kiamichi with the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Gran Rosso another short neck third. The next five in the eight-horse trial… Read More »
Trainer Liam Birchley struggles to remember one of his horses who has had a more disrupted preparation than stakes winner Fit For Purpose. The gelding will be attempting to win back-to-back Listed Tattersall’s Mile at Eagle Farm on Saturday. After Fit For Purpose won last year’s Tattersall’s Mile, Birchley felt… Read More »
It’s either boom or bust for the connections of sprinter Rocket Tommy. From 26 starts, Rocket Tommy has won on nine occasions but has failed to fill a place in his other 17 appearances. A Swan Hill win at his most recent start on June 9 came a year to… Read More »
A burgeoning relationship with bloodstock specialist and syndicator James Harron has been the impetus behind Matthew Dale’s acquisition of Notation and so far the partnership is proving a resounding success. Dale trains a couple of fillies for Harron’s syndication business and when Harron bought Notation on behalf of owners Donna… Read More »
A week of jumping and the addition of blinkers may prove the spark Matthew Williams is looking for when Loresho runs at Flemington. Loresho will be lining up for his fourth start for Williams in Saturday’s Harry White Handicap (2500m). A five-time winner in France before joining now-disqualified trainer Darren… Read More »
