After a last start win at Caulfield by Marble Nine, a run in a late season weight-for-age race was briefly discussed. But trainers Leon and Troy Corstens and racing manager Will Larkin, who at the start of the new season joins that pair in a training partnership, dismissed the thought… Read More »
Trainer Phillip Stokes has elected to take the easier route at Caulfield with Prinzerro in a bid to secure a city win before season’s end. Prinzerro was among nominations for the Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) on Saturday but will instead contest the Senet Gambling Law Experts Handicap (1200m). That race carries… Read More »
I Am Invincible is cantering towards a third-straight Australian Champion Sire award, with the Yarraman Park stallion’s progeny having amassed an Australian record $31,943,085, more than $8 million more than his nearest rival. But that nearest rival is on the cusp of a record of his own with one week… Read More »
Kris Lees has been down on runner numbers this year, but it hasn’t stopped him making his presence felt as he looks to the next generation to continue to build momentum into the new season. Heading into Thursday’s Wyong meeting, Lees had had 1006 starters this term, around 200 less than… Read More »
Vlad Duric, a Caulfield Cup-winning jockey and four-time Singapore premiership winner, is thrilled about the possibility of racing against his daughter, Sage. Duric, based in Brisbane since April, will move back to Victoria next week, targeting the early part of the spring carnival. He acknowledges the competitiveness of Victorian racing… Read More »
Mark Twain, a quality Kiwi stayer, will start his Melbourne Cup 2024 campaign next month with four lead-in runs planned. OTI Racing director Terry Henderson confirmed the horse will focus solely on Melbourne leading up to the November 5 Flemington feature. The final lead-in run is likely to be the… Read More »
It might be a close call … who will be back in action first, the injured Robbie Dolan or a racetrack under the pump! And then again, maybe not! Dolan’s spectacular fall from Victory Command in seemingly bizarre circumstances during the seventh race at Eagle Farm on Saturday, which sparked… Read More »
Blake Ryan feared luck was going to desert Lady Extreme for the second start in succession when she was briefly held up for a run at Canterbury, but the mare was able to overcome it to score her first city win. The four-year-old was strung up behind horses for much of the… Read More »
An 8% share in Team Hayes-trained champion Mr Brightside was offered for sale but failed to meet the reserve price on Inglis Digital. The final bid of $275,000 fell just short of the $280,000 reserve. A bid of $100,000 was made last Friday, and bids surpassed the $200,000 mark early… Read More »
It was a moment that arrived quietly … and then was gone with the wind. It came in the third race at Ipswich on Wednesday when Les Ross sent out his last runner as a trainer … thirty-six years after he saddled his first winner back on April 25, 1988…. Read More »
Godolphin and James Cummings landed a one-two punch in a late season two-year-old race at Sandown that could provide a look to the upcoming spring. Photograph ($4.80) scored an impressive 3-ÂĽ length win under Blake Shinn from her more fancied stablemate Diamond Firetail ($4.40) in the Sportsbet Fast Form Handicap (1300m) on Wednesday. The… Read More »
The final Saturday metropolitan meeting of the season is set to double as a racetrack swansong for enigmatic mare Sneaky Paige as trainer Brad Widdup looks to send her out on a positive note. A Group 3 placegetter earlier in her career, Sneaky Paige joined Widdup’s team last year following Mark Newnham’s… Read More »
Recommendation will again be subjected to a small field when he heads to Caulfield in search of another Stakes success. The Ciaron Maher -trained sprinter will be joined by Mrs Chrissie in the Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday. Recommendation and Mrs Chrissie finished first and third respectively in the… Read More »
This weekend’s Longreach meeting in Queensland will mark the final race for veteran campaigner Fab’s Cowboy. The 12-year-old will face mandatory retirement next month, with his last race being the Farewell Fab’s Cowboy (1200m). Trained by Bevan Johnson in Barcaldine, Fab’s Cowboy debuted in November 2015, finishing ninth in a… Read More »
Trainer Hanna Powell heads to Sandown in search of her first city victory with a horse chasing a third straight victory. Ultimate Kiss runs for Powell in the ive > Handicap (1300m) on Wednesday after scoring wins at his only two starts back from an 18-month break. Powell has been training since… Read More »
Hey Fat Cat has arrived in Hong Kong to continue his career under trainer Douglas Whyte. Previously trained by Robbie Laing, Hey Fat Cat was part of the latest shipment of Australian horses to Hong Kong, arriving on Monday night. Hey Fat Cat won two of his 10 starts in… Read More »
Melbourne Cup winning jockey Michelle Payne has officially retired from riding, confirming she has relinquished her jockey license to Racing Victoria. Payne had a remarkable 23-year career, achieving 772 career victories. “I’ve handed in my license so that’s it for me,” Payne said. “It was a tough decision to come… Read More »
Untapped filly Joliestar has emerged as an Everest smoky with trainer Chris Waller revealing he is keen to give her an opportunity to audition for the $20 million feature. The Thousand Guineas winner was among a host of stars to step out at the Rosehill barrier trials on Tuesday, the session also… Read More »
Steparty, Paul Preusker’s standout galloper from last winter, has been gelded in preparation for a Spring Carnival comeback. The son of Artie Schiller won his first five races, including the Group 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude, but struggled during the Queensland Carnival. “We were always dreaming he might make it as… Read More »
Nominations for the Bletchingly Stakes at Caulfield have been extended with 11 horses entered for the Group 3 contest. A small field of eight went around in the Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on July 13 and the likelihood is for a similar sized number for… Read More »
