Trainer Nick Ryan is likely to resist the temptation of a trip to Brisbane with Highvol to concentrate on building the three-year-old’s bank balance. Highvol registered the third win of his career when successful at Caulfield last start and will look to add to that tally in the Sportsbet Fixed Odds Exotics Handicap… Read More »
A year can be a long time in racing especially with a horse on the sidelines. It will be a year and one week by the time Just Folk makes it back to the racetrack for the Stow Storage Solutions Handicap (1400m) at Sandown on Saturday. The last time Just Folk… Read More »
One of the headline acts of this year’s Doomben Cup will need to pass a race-morning veterinary inspection before being cleared to take his place in the race. Half Yours was deemed to be mildly lame by Queensland’s racing vets when inspected on Friday morning. The Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained… Read More »
Chris Waller has run into Pride Of Jenni enough times to know that taking on the front-running mare will bring most horses undone, and leaving her to her own devices will play into her hands. Finding a happy medium is something not even the champion trainer can attest to having… Read More »
His current connections can’t lay claim to coming up with his name, but they are hoping Thebudgiesmugla can continue making a name for himself as a stayer of promise. The former New Zealander rises to 2400 metres for the first time this preparation in Saturday’s Sporting Chance Cancer Foundation Handicap… Read More »
Banknote Hustler is unlikely to ever scale the heights hoped for earlier in his career, but the son of Capitalist gets his shot at completing a winning hat-trick this weekend. The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained gelding will be out to back up wins at Geelong and Pakenham in… Read More »
Racegoers at Saturday’s Group 1 Doomben Cup will have extra reason to cheer, with Brisbane Racing Club and XXXX offering a complimentary drink if either Pride Of Jenni or Half Yours claims victory. The “XXXX Cheers to the Champs” promotion is built around a highly anticipated rematch between two of… Read More »
Racing NSW stewards have fined co-trainers Richard and Will Freedman a total of $5,800 following a hearing into three separate rule breaches. The inquiry examined the detection of oxazepam and temazepam in a post-race urine sample taken from Luna Bay after she finished second at a provincial meeting in September,… Read More »
The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr stable is banking on a drop in grade proving beneficial for Amedei at Sandown. The daughter of Zoustar drops from a Listed race for three-year-olds to a benchmark 78 race for fillies when she contests the Sportsbet Feed Handicap (1400m) on Saturday. Amedei resumed with a first-up win in a… Read More »
A quick back-up into one of the signature two-year-old events of the Brisbane winter carnival is on the table for emerging filly I Am Dirty if she can make it two wins in succession in the Bill Carter Stakes at Doomben. After enduring a wide run when unplaced on debut at… Read More »
Trainer Grahame Begg was left scratching his head when he looked at the barrier draws for his three runners at Sandown. Oman, Upstage and King Zephyr all drew barrier 14 in their respective races on Saturday. “What would the odds be of that?” Begg asked. “You couldn’t write a ticket for what odds that would be. “I… Read More »
The Australian racing industry is mourning the loss of longtime Flemington trainer Steve Richards, who passed away in a Melbourne hospital on Wednesday night. Richards, 70, had been in intensive care after suffering serious head injuries in a fall in the city last week. A licensed trainer at Flemington since… Read More »
There will be no pressure on Declichy Boulevard to make a winning return at Randwick despite the mare being one of the best credentialled gallopers at the off-season meeting. The four-year-old resumes in the Taylor Construction Handicap (1400m) on Saturday, her first appearance since finishing third to Treasurethe Moment in… Read More »
The Doomben Cup has been a long-range goal for Vauban, and with the horse as well as his trainers can get him, Tim Clark is banking on the import’s staying prowess to be an asset in his clash with star mare Pride Of Jenni. Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott opted… Read More »
Trainer Jerome Hunter will wait until race morning before confirming whether Wonder Boy will run at Sandown. Wonder Boy has been in sparkling form of late and if he takes his place in the MRC Life Member David Sims 90th Birthday (1800m) on Saturday, he will be chasing a third win in his… Read More »
Like most two-year-olds, Thyme To Go is still learning her race craft, but trainers Annabel and Rob Archibald have seen enough ability from her to be entertaining a belated trip to Brisbane. A $260,000 Inglis Premier Sale purchase, the filly made a promising debut when runner-up to Knightsbridge over 1000m at… Read More »
Tasmania’s leading apprentice jockey Jabez Johnstone is poised to take the next step in his career, with a move to Victoria on the horizon to join the powerful Ciaron Maher stable. The 19-year-old has enjoyed a rapid rise since debuting in November 2024, riding 79 winners at an impressive strike… Read More »
The San Domenico Stakes has quickly been identified as an early spring target for promising colt Our Emperor following an impressive debut win at Warwick Farm. The son of Golden Slipper winner Stay Inside became the sire’s seventh first-crop two-year-old winner with a dominant three-and-three-quarter length victory over 1100 metres… Read More »
Patience is a virtue in racing as Pakenham trainer Bill Papazaharoudakis can vouch. Papazaharoudakis had his impressive debut winner Barbarino ready to race late last year but decided to hold off and give the gelding a little more time before opting for the Sportsbet Blackbook Plate (1200m) at Caulfield Heath on Wednesday. It paid an immediate dividend as… Read More »
After a promising three-year-old season, Firm Agreement didn’t reach the heights expected of him in the spring, but co-trainer Rob Archibald is hoping he can get back on track this campaign. Twice Group 1 placed, including when runner-up to Aeliana in last year’s ATC Australian Derby (2400m), Firm Agreement didn’t… Read More »
