He is usually setting the benchmark for other trainers, but Chris Waller admits he has taken inspiration from Sheila Laxon’s upset Melbourne Cup win with Knight’s Choice to plot an audacious bid of his own. While internationally trained and pedigreed runners often dominate the Cup field—and indeed early markets for this year’s… Read More »
The Annabel and Rob Archibald team will resort to Plan B with Nellie Leylax when the imported galloper runs at Moonee Valley. Nellie Leylax is a dual acceptor at both The Valley and Randwick on Saturday, but circumstances mean the gelding will stay in Melbourne to run in the Travis… Read More »
Peter Snowden has decided to split promising mares Tuileries and Amreekiyah, scratching the former from Randwick to keep the two on separate paths. The pair were both acceptors for the Chandon Handicap (1400m) on Saturday and while Snowden doesn’t know if he will be able to keep them apart for long, he… Read More »
The dream of the connections of Bur Dubai racing in Melbourne’s big Cup races will kick off at Moonee Valley. An imported galloper from the UK, Bur Dubai starts his spring campaign in the EDSA Group Handicap (1600m) on Saturday. It is a far cry from the Caulfield Cup, for which… Read More »
A heavy track hasn’t stopped Cox Plate heroine Via Sistina from impressing at a crucial set of barrier trials at Randwick, while a quartet of Group One winners from the Ciaron Maher stable have also strutted their stuff at Gosford. Via Sistina finished second to Vauban in her 1000m course… Read More »
The Chris Waller trained Mistressofillusion gained an overdue first win on Australian soil when Ben Thompson brought her with a well-timed run from off the pace to secure a half-a-length win in a Class 3 Handicap over 2040m at Doomben on Wednesday. The Mastercraftsman mare had won two races in… Read More »
Parchment Party is poised to become the first horse trained out of America to run in the Melbourne Cup after winning the Birdstone Stakes at Saratoga on Thursday morning, Australian time. The four-year-old made it back-to-back wins following victory in the Grade 2 Belmont Gold Cup, a race that carries a… Read More »
He is usually setting the benchmark for other trainers, but Chris Waller admits he has taken inspiration from Sheila Laxon’s upset Melbourne Cup win with Knight’s Choice to plot an audacious bid of his own. While internationally trained and pedigreed runners often dominate the Cup field—and indeed early markets for this year’s… Read More »
For New Zealand trainer Raymond Connors, the dream of having a Melbourne Cup runner has long simmered in the background — but that vision is now edging closer to reality with his talented stayer Trav. Connors has already proven himself in the major staying events across the Tasman, guiding Blood… Read More »
Australian Bloodstock has strengthened its formidable Spring Carnival lineup with the acquisition of promising German stayer Augustus. The five-year-old entire was recently listed among Ciaron Maher’s 25 nominations for the upcoming Caulfield Cup, and plans are also in motion to nominate him for the prestigious Melbourne Cup, according to Australian… Read More »
Horses with above average ability often reveal themselves early and John O’Shea is hoping that proves to be the case with debut winner Tyreek. Named after American NFL star Tyreek Hill, the three-year-old was conceding race experience and a start to most of his rivals at Canterbury on Wednesday but… Read More »
The Annabel and Rob Archibald stable made the right call to send Duke Atreides to Melbourne in search of better ground for his maiden win. Duke Atreides took out the Quayclean Plate (1200m) at Sandown on Wednesday on a soft 5 track, later upgraded to a good 4, and Annabel… Read More »
Joe Pride has until Friday morning to decide if early Missile Stakes favourite Private Eye will take his place in the first Group race of the Sydney season or step out in a barrier trial at Warwick Farm. The class runner in Saturday’s 10-horse field, Private Eye has been backed… Read More »
It was a case of welcome to Queensland for jockey Heavelon Van Der Hoven who scored his first win in his second ride since moving to the Sunshine State from Sydney when he saluted aboard the Annabel and Rob Archibald trained Louisburgh at Doomben on Wednesday. Louisburgh, who was shedding… Read More »
After a limited autumn and wanting to get Berkeley Square back into racing mode, trainer Dan O’Sullivan has commenced the gelding’s spring campaign early. Berkeley Square had a fruitful spring last year, winning at Flemington and Sandown in lesser races before capturing his hometown Ballarat Cup. Along the way, Berkeley Square also… Read More »
Nominees for the 2024/25 Australian Racehorse Of The Year Awards have been announced. This year’s gala lunch, to be held on Sunday, August 31 at The Star Brisbane, will be hosted alongside the Sportsbet Australian Racing Hall of Fame ceremony. This prestigious event will include the presentation of the Sportsbet… Read More »
Alpha Sofie, who made it back-to-back wins at Eagle Farm on Saturday for trainer Jason Edwards will now relocate south to the Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman stable yard. A daughter of Capitalist, Alpha Sofie has won two of her three career starts … the wins coming either side of… Read More »
Chris Waller is resigned to pitting four of his biggest stars against each other first-up before placing them on different Group One paths into the spring. The quartet will be among the headline acts at an outstanding set of Randwick barrier trials on Thursday, the heats delayed by two days due… Read More »
Chris Waller has thrown his stable’s weight behind the 2025 Cox Plate, nominating a remarkable 30 horses for the $6 million showpiece — including reigning champion Via Sistina. In total, 108 horses have been entered for this year’s renewal at Moonee Valley, with Waller’s contingent accounting for almost 28 per… Read More »
US Grade 1 winner Carl Spackler will not be making the trip to Australia for the upcoming spring, with his owners at Yulong deciding to keep the talented galloper based in Europe for now. Yulong’s chief operating officer Sam Fairgray confirmed on Tuesday morning that the decision had been made… Read More »
