The Paul Shailer trained Mister Bianco just can’t catch a break. First there was the late scratching episode from the Winx Guineas back on July 5 when no suitable replacement jockey was available following the injury to Ryan Maloney in an earlier race … and then, on Saturday, Shailer and… Read More »
The physical consequences of a fall suffered at Ipswich on July 3 have already kept Nikita Beriman out of the saddle for twenty-nine days, and the severity of her suffering is underlined by the fact that it will be at least another six weeks before any further concussion assessment will… Read More »
There is a sense of spring in the air with a strong set of jump-outs scheduled for Caulfield. Group 1 winners Magic Time, Attrition, Mornington Glory, Pinstriped, Desert Lightning, La Dorada and Smokin’ Romans are set to go around in the opening heat over 800m on Wednesday. The jump-out session… Read More »
An interrupted Autumn campaign left Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott rueing what might have been with Newgate Bloodstock and China Horse Club owned colt North England. High up in markets for the Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) since his very first public trial on September 23rd, the son of the… Read More »
Racing Victoria has announced changes to the weight allocation for all Group 1 handicap races in the state to align them with the conditions of the Melbourne Cup and Caulfield Cup. Starting from the 2025/26 racing season, the minimum topweight for every Group 1 handicap will be set at 59kg…. Read More »
Grahame Begg will gift Tom Prebble a prime early-season opportunity this Saturday with the top apprentice rider to partner Splash Back in the Group 3 Aurie’s Star Handicap at Flemington. The Cranbourne trainer identified the 1200-metre handicap as the most suitable next start for the explosive mare after her jaw-dropping win over 1420m… Read More »
Victoria’s ‘Nursery of Champions’ will undergo a new look from the new racing season, which commences on Friday, with the Bendigo Jockey Club welcoming on a new partner. Ladbrokes have teamed up with the leading country club, striking a new three-year seal that will see the Ladbrokes name attached to… Read More »
Former Melbourne Cup contender Mark Twain made his first public appearance in over 12 months with an exhibition gallop at Te Rapa last Saturday. The lightly raced son of Shocking earned a ballot-free Melbourne Cup entry by winning last year’s Listed Roy Higgins (2600m), but a tendon injury last spring… Read More »
Established top-liners will continue to emerge at the trials in Sydney this week, but it is not only the Group-class trials that feature potential spring stars. A number of soon-to-be three-year-olds who were key players in feature two-year-old racing earlier this season will be in action at Rosehill on Tuesday… Read More »
It wasn’t a great day for racing at Doomben on Saturday. The general gloom, the arrival of a storm which delayed the program mid-meeting, and the early postponement of the last race shortly after that when it was realised conditions would be too dark at the time to complete the… Read More »
The Melbourne Cup has been circled as the spring goal for import Sir Delius but the path he takes to get there is yet to be determined. Along with stablemate Vauban and star mare Via Sistina, Sir Delius is an $11 equal favourite with betting sites for Australia’s most famous… Read More »
Matthew Cartwright is confident the foundations laid in his initial stint will help him consolidate his position in New Zealand, but the talented young rider is determined to not suffer second-season blues. The Victorian jockey will soon be on a plane back across the ditch, where he will look to capitalise… Read More »
Bridal Waltz secured what co-trainer Peter Moody considered a bonus Group win at Caulfield on Saturday and he is optimistic she can continue to rise through the grades. The well-bred Snitzel filly made it back-to-back Black Type wins with a win in the $200,000 Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes (1200m). It followed victory in… Read More »
Peter Moody believes his stable’s influence at the elite level this spring might be short-lived, but he is confident an early stakes win is just around the corner for one of his emerging juvenile fillies. Following Ole Dancer’s impressive victory in the opening race at Caulfield, the Group 1-winning trainer… Read More »
She isn’t the most reliable horse in training but Cigar Flick has managed to end a 13-month run of outs with a barnstorming performance on the final Saturday city meeting of the Sydney season. Having been out of the winner’s list since scoring at Eagle Farm in June last year,… Read More »
Bletchingly Stakes favourite Baraqiel has come out of the feature race at Caulfield. The $3.20 favourite for the Bletchingly was taken out of the race on vets advice less than an hour prior to the running of the race. Glorious Sydney farewell for Queensland-bound hoop
Jockey Heavelon Van Der Hoven has orchestrated a perfect farewell to Sydney racing, celebrating his first NSW metropolitan win at his final meeting. The 32-year-old, who will relocate to Brisbane from Sunday, steered the Jim and Greg Lee-trained Glorious Moments ($3.80 equal fav) to an emphatic 4-1/4 length victory in Saturday’s The… Read More »
Jimmy The Bear narrowly failed his first test at 2400 metres, but it took a close relation to one of the greatest stayers Australia has seen to deny the crowd favourite. The John Moloney-trained Dictionary, a nephew to Makybe Diva, outlasted Patrick and Michelle Payne’s winter warhorse to score a maiden… Read More »
Peter Moody suspects the Spring Carnival might come around a fraction early for Ole Dancer but the Pakenham trainer is open to the idea of giving her the chance to land a feature win. The untapped filly took her record to two wins from as many starts with a tenacious… Read More »
The Rosebud is the likely short-term target for emerging colt Nashville Jack after he underlined his class with a strong first-up win in the opening race at Randwick. Competitive in the Silver Slipper and Black Opal Stakes during a two-start autumn campaign, the Brad Widdup-trained youngster had trialled well coming into… Read More »
