Racing Queensland has declared an operating loss of $11.2 million for the past financial year despite remaining asset rich. The report showed wagering income from all sources was up to $202m, an increase of $27.6 million but it did not cover increases in prize money and other costs. Racing Queensland… Read More »
Even Craig Williams’ children hope Japanese horse Hokko Brave will be the one to give the jockey an elusive Melbourne Cup win. “Definitely have to win the Melbourne Cup, no doubt about it,” Williams says. “I don’t think my children will let me get off that easily. “But this year… Read More »
Comic Court was the first association 12-time Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Bart Cummings had with the famous race. Trained by Cummings’ father Jim, in 1950 Comic Court was also the last original topweight to win the handicap race. That’s the task in front of Protectionist and English stayer Snow Sky if… Read More »
Glen Boss has failed in his bid to have a suspension cut to allow him to continue an association with top galloper Kermadec. Boss, who won this year’s Doncaster Mile on Kermadec, was booked to ride the four-year-old in the Group One George Main Stakes at Randwick on Saturday. The… Read More »
Chris Waller will wait until acceptance time before naming a replacement jockey for Kermadec in the George Main Stakes. Waller has been left without a rider for the Doncaster Mile winner on Saturday after Melbourne jockey Glen Boss lost an appeal against a careless riding suspension. Boss won the Doncaster… Read More »
It has taken a long time to entice Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien to have another crack at the Melbourne Cup after his trio of runners ended up well beaten in 2008. He now has four possibilities for the $6.2 million race, including Saturday’s Irish St Leger winner Order Of St… Read More »
Ciaron Maher will accept in Melbourne and Sydney with imported galloper Kapour as the stayer prepares for the spring’s Cup races. The Irish-bred stayer which campaigned in France before arriving in Australia, will be an acceptor for the Naturalism Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield on Saturday. Maher will also accept with… Read More »
Group One star Buffering received the green light for his sixth Melbourne spring campaign after easily winning a jump-out at Doomben on Tuesday. Buffering, who hasn’t raced since being unplaced in the Hong Kong Sprint in December, missed the Brisbane winter carnival with a leg injury. Trainer Rob Heathcote gave… Read More »
Two horses trying to win their first race and a relation to a Golden Slipper winner can go some way towards replenishing Gai Waterhouse’s spring stocks at Canterbury on Wednesday. In Regatta Rebel and Dark Steel, Waterhouse has the early favourites to win separate divisions of a maiden race for… Read More »
A wide barrier draw won’t deter Luke Oliver from heading to Pakenham with his consistent mare Kansas Sunflower. Oliver has a bigger race in mind for the daughter of Mastercraftsman after she contests the P&K Visser Colorbond Fencing Handicap (1600m) on Wednesday. The mare will front up again in 10… Read More »
Last year’s Melbourne Cup winner Protectionist and UK stayer Snow Sky head the weights for this year’s race. Now in the care of Kris Lees, Protectionist has 58kg, up 1.5kg on his winning weight for Andreas Wohler. Three-time Cup runner-up Red Cadeaux, now a 10-year-old and aiming for his fifth… Read More »
Japanese horse Fame Game is the favourite for the Melbourne Cup ahead of the declaration of weights. Racing Victoria’s chief handicapper Greg Carpenter will announce the the weights on Tuesday, seven weeks out from the $6.2 million race at Flemington. Last year’s winner Protectionist and minor placegetters Red Cadeaux and… Read More »
The ride on George Main Stakes favourite Kermadec goes on the line when Glen Boss fights a 10-meeting suspension in Melbourne. Boss will appear before the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board on Tuesday afternoon over the ban for his winning ride on Kinglike in the Danehill Stakes at Flemington. He… Read More »
Winx remains favourite to give trainer Chris Waller a third successive Epsom Handicap following the release of weights for the Group One mile. The mare, who is at $4.50 in the TAB’s market on the $1 million race on October 3, will carry 53 kilograms, five below her stablemate and… Read More »
After a few near misses in recent seasons, Let’s Make Adeal is back on a mission to secure a start in one of the major spring Cups. It is a dream of Let’s Make Adeal’s owner-breeder Dennis Marks for a descendant of 1991 Caulfield and Melbourne Cups winner Let’s Elope… Read More »
Ready For Victory is the new favourite for the Group One Caulfield Guineas with Exosphere to be kept to sprints this spring. The Mick Prince-trained Ready For Victory is at $4 in the TAB’s Caulfield Guineas market ahead of Press Statement ($4.40) with Exosphere now at $6.50 and listed as… Read More »
An injury-free Kirramosa is ready to reclaim her Group One form in the George Main Stakes after a frustrating couple of years. Trainer John Sargent has kept faith with Kirramosa who has had just six starts since she won the 2013 VRC Oaks because of a hamstring injury followed by… Read More »
After carefully weighing up his options, Canberra trainer Matthew Dale has decided on the Testa Rossa Stakes at Caulfield as the next mission for exciting sprinter Fell Swoop. Fell Swoop passed his first stakes test last Saturday week at Moonee Valley, winning a Listed 1200m sprint by 1-1/2 lengths to… Read More »
Speak Fondly’s second in the Golden Rose bodes well for Perignon as she heads to the Tea Rose Stakes. The Gerald Ryan-trained Perignon has twice finished second to Speak Fondly who has begun the new season in style with wins in the Silver Shadow and Furious Stakes before beating all… Read More »
The Group One Coolmore Stud Stakes will be the next target for unbeaten filly Petits Filous. Petits Filous made it four wins from as many starts with another impressive display in Saturday’s Listed Cap D’Antibes Stakes (1100m) against her own age and sex at Flemington on Saturday. It was her… Read More »
