The spring carnival build-up continued at Warwick Farm on Friday morning, where Group 1 winner Ceolwulf made his final public appearance before he resumes in the Winx Stakes. Trainer Joe Pride gave him an intentionally quiet hit-out when he trailed the field home in a 900m heat at his home track… Read More »
A feature race in Adelaide on Saturday has landed as the most ideal first step for trainer Daniel Bowman to fulfill his firm belief that Is It Me can eventually be a winner at the highest level. The Group 3 Behemoth Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville sees the six-year-old first-up this preparation taking… Read More »
Horses can be creatures of habit and trainer Michael Trotter is banking on that when Apache Song runs second-up at Moonee Valley. Apache Song has an affinity with The Valley circuit having won at the course on three occasions and placing once from six starts. But importantly for Trotter is Apache Song’s… Read More »
A return to his home track of Randwick is a significant boost for smart sprinter With Your Blessing, who is bidding to make the most of the heavy conditions when he chases a maiden Group win in the Missile Stakes. Trainer John Thompson gave the gelding’s first-up fifth to Saturday’s… Read More »
Missile Stakes favourite Private Eye has been officially withdrawn from Saturday’s Group 2 feature at Royal Randwick. Trainer Joe Pride confirmed the decision on social media Friday morning, stating the star sprinter would instead trial at Warwick Farm before being scratched from the race. The eight-year-old had been installed as… Read More »
Sons And Lovers took a giant step towards a trip to Melbourne for this year’s Spring Carnival after a win in Ireland overnight Thursday, Australian time. The Joseph O’Brien-trained gelding was a tenacious winner of the Ballyroan Stakes (2414m) at Leopardstown. The son of Study Of Man, a Northern Hemisphere four-year-old,… Read More »
The Ciaron Maher stable has given a strong lead in electing to run Oyster Lane at Moonee Valley. Twice placed in Saturday city races at his only two attempts, Oyster Lane runs in the Ladbrokes SRM In Multis Handicap (1000m) on Saturday. Jack Turnbull, Maher’s National Assistant Trainer, said the colt was… Read More »
Australian Turf Club officials admit the weather forecast is looking “tricky” ahead of the Missile Stakes meeting at Randwick. The course proper was a heavy 9 on Thursday after receiving over 155 mils of rain this week, or the equivalent of the usual monthly total in seven days. With further… 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 »
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 »
