Racing will return to Caulfield on February 14 as planned after the newly renovated course proper was given the final tick of approval on Tuesday. Eight jump-outs were staged on the track and chief steward Terry Bailey gave the green light for racing to start back at Caulfield for the… Read More »
The performance of Listed winner Thurlow in the Chairman’s Stakes at Sandown will decide if she is given her chance in the Blue Diamond Stakes. But trainer Robert Smerdon insists Thurlow’s unbeaten stablemate Fontiton – the Blue Diamond favourite – is a better juvenile and his assessment means Thurlow could… Read More »
Star sprinter Lankan Rupee is on target for a Group One return in the Lightning Stakes after impressing trainer Mick Price in a jump-out at Caulfield. Lankan Rupee sat behind horses in Tuesday’s jump-out before powering to the lead midway through the 800-metre heat to win in smart time. Price… Read More »
Godolphin filly Memorial is back in the running to start her autumn campaign in the Eskimo Prince Stakes after trainer John O’Shea made her a late entry for the Group Three sprint. O’Shea doubled Godolphin’s hand in the $150,000 race at Rosehill on Saturday when nominations were extended until Tuesday…. Read More »
Trainer Mike Moroney is looking forward to the Australian debut of Courageous Rock at Sandown, with the imported stayer looming as an interesting runner at the midweek meeting. Courageous Rock was one of six horses purchased as a yearling in England in 2012 by Moroney’s brother Paul for the Ballymore… Read More »
John Bateman promises to have a better chance than most trainers of coaxing the best out of Al Dhafra, an ageing stakes-winning galloper which returns to city racing on Wednesday. As foreman for Guy Walter when the late Warwick Farm trainer operated a satellite stable at Goulburn, Bateman had a… Read More »
Impressive debut winner Burnstone is to have one more run before he tackles the $1 million Blue Diamond Stakes. Trainer Robbie Griffiths had toyed with the idea of heading straight to the Group One Blue Diamond (1200m) at Caulfield on February 28 after Burstone scored a widening 3-1/2 length victory… Read More »
Thurlow has been nominated for the Group Three Chairman’s Stakes at Sandown on the back of a pleasing barrier trial. Jockey Craig Williams put the two-year-old filly and imported stayer Noble Protector through their paces for Qatar Bloodstock at Cranbourne last week. Williams has a long association with Qatar Bloodstock’s… Read More »
Trainer Peter Moody has been fined $12,000 after one of his horses tested positive to ibuprofen on two occasions. House Of Hingis returned the positive swabs to the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug when she raced at Rosehill on November 14 and Warwick Farm two weeks later. Moody told Racing NSW stewards… Read More »
Inz’n’out might not have the proven class of some of his Eskimo Prince rivals but his trainer believes his fitness levels can give him the edge he needs. Gerald Ryan, who is also a part-owner of the colt, admits he is throwing him in deep end in the Group Three… Read More »
Connections of impressive trial winner Deja Blue will go chasing the money instead of black type when the filly makes her debut at Sandown. The Robbie Griffiths-trained two-year-old has been nominated for two races on Saturday, a sales-restricted race worth $250,000 and a Group Three with prize money of $150,000…. Read More »
Pelicano has already won Cups in three states and will be seeking to make it four in Tasmania. Trainer Tony McEvoy has pinpointed the Group Three Hobart Cup (2400m) on February 9 and the Launceston Cup later in the month as ideal targets for the six-year-old. The gelding won four… Read More »
Melbourne Cup winner Protectionist and runner-up Red Cadeaux will meet again in Australia this autumn. Protectionist, now with Kris Lees at Newcastle after Andreas Wohler trained him to win the Cup, won a 1200m barrier trial at Newcastle on Monday morning. Red Cadeaux has been in quarantine since last week… Read More »
Brisbane filly Oakleigh Girl is back on track for a Melbourne campaign aimed at the race which inspired her name. The three-year-old has not raced since she finished fifth in the Group Three Royal Randwick Stakes in April last year and missed a planned return in last month’s Magic Millions… Read More »
Leading British jockeys William Buick and James Doyle will ride for Godolphin during the Sydney autumn carnival. The two were contracted late last year by Sheikh Mohammed’s operation. John Ferguson, Sheikh Mohammed’s bloodstock advisor, is keen to see both Buick and Doyle continue to advertise their talents on the world… Read More »
Triple Group One winner Moment Of Change has undergone emergency surgery for colic and will miss at least the autumn. Trainer Peter Moody said on Twitter the gelding was recovering well after Sunday’s operation. “Moment Of Change had emergency colic surgery today. Happy to report he is up and recovering…. Read More »
Owner John Camilleri is prepared to pay the $150,000 Golden Slipper late entry fee for Fireworks but trainer Gerald Ryan says it won’t be necessary. The $3.5 million Slipper on March 21 was not in the thoughts of either when the diminutive filly arrived at Ryan’s stable in September. Her… Read More »
Trainer Ken Keys has been around racehorses a long time and knows the pitfalls only too well. But he was decidedly flat when he talked of the injury that has ruled stable star Rich Enuff out of the autumn. A high white cell count forced Keys to ease up on… Read More »
Tawteen will be tested against some of Australia’s best sprinters in the Lightning Stakes to determine whether she takes on the world. The three-year-old resumed with victory in a 955m sprint at Moonee Valley on Friday night on the same program her stablemate Sistonic, a close relation to Black Caviar,… Read More »
Some detective work by trainer Brian Wakefield to track down the dam of his winter carnival hope Denarius has paid off with the mare in foal to Red Element. Denarius rocketed into winter carnival calculations with an impressive win in a three-year-old event over 1110 metres at Doomben on Saturday…. Read More »
