The chances of Nostradamus emulating his brother in the Blue Diamond Stakes will become clearer when he takes on boom colt Rubick in Saturday’s Prelude at Caulfield. Nostradamus is a half-brother to 2010 Blue Diamond winner Star Witness and is among a classy line-up of colts set for a showdown… Read More »
Frustrating galloper Misty Eyes can earn a place among trainer Tony McEvoy’s growing team of stayers if he can improve on a first-up Sydney run at Canterbury on Wednesday. Without being given a typical stayers’ preparation, Misty Eyes steps out to a middle distance for only the second time in… Read More »
Trainer Kelly Schweida will stick with Brisbane jockey Ric McMahon to partner Better Than Ready in the Group Two Rubiton Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday. There was a suggestion Craig Williams would get the ride but Schweida said connections were happy to go with McMahon. “Ric has ridden him in… Read More »
Like A Carousel will try to shed his maiden tag at Caulfield on Wednesday. But if his past six starts are anything to go by, the stayer might find one better on the day. The Ken Keys-trained Like A Carousel is yet to win from 13 starts and has finished… Read More »
The Australian Turf Club board has confirmed Michael Crismale as its new chairman and announced Laurie Macri as vice-chairman. At a meeting of the board on Monday, Mark McInnes resigned, joining outgoing chairman John Cornish and director Alan Osburg in stepping down. Crismale said he was honoured to be taking… Read More »
Breeders’ Plate winner Law can cement his Golden Slipper berth early with victory at his second start at Randwick. Law is one of 13 youngsters entered in Saturday’s 1000m handicap, most of which are unraced. The Gai Waterhouse Waterhouse-trained colt became the first two-year-old stakes winner of the season when… Read More »
A busy Tuesday morning awaits jockey Kerrin McEvoy who will put his injured knee to the test riding potential autumn stars in important gallops in two states. Darley’s No.1 jockey will put Blue Diamond contenders Earthquake and Mohave through their paces in early morning gallops at Flemington in Melbourne before… Read More »
A crucial gallop on Tuesday morning will determine whether promising stayer Sertorius steps out for his first Group One assignment in the CF Orr Stakes. Sertorius had a successful spring carnival with wins in the Bendigo Cup and Group Two Zipping Classic with a close second to Precedence in the… Read More »
Sydney’s driest summer for more than 70 years was not something Joe Pride factored in when he planned Rain Affair’s upcoming campaign. The saving grace is that Saturday’s Expressway Stakes is being run at Randwick, a surface the trainer says is more forgiving than Rosehill where Rain Affair won the… Read More »
A sparkling anti-clockwise gallop by Rubick has convinced Gerald Ryan he is primed for the Blue Diamond Prelude and the colt’s relaxed nature has the trainer confident he will handle the float trip south. Rubick worked at Rosehill on Monday morning with race jockey Brenton Avdulla aboard and was due… Read More »
Lord Of The Sky’s campaign is over and he will be spelled after pulling up sore from his Caulfield failure. The Robbie Laing-trained three-year-old was the odds-on favourite in Saturday’s Listed W J Adams Stakes (1000m) but performed well below expectations and failed to beat a runner home. Laing advised… Read More »
Melbourne trainer Tony Vasil’s weekend took a turn for the better with the win of Liberty Leader in Sunday’s Group Three Tasmanian Derby. Ridden by Jack Hill, Liberty Leader beat the Darren Weir-trained Rainbow Storm by 1-1/4 lengths with Varian leading the locals home in the 2200m feature in Hobart…. Read More »
Apprentice Winona Costin has had a big day out with five winners at the Sapphire Coast meeting including the Bega Town Plate, one of two features on the program. Costin, who is indentured to Mick Tubman at Kembla Grange, says she hopes to make the move to Sydney later this… Read More »
A Rosehill barrier trial will confirm the kick-off point for Snitzerland as trainer Gerald Ryan plots a path to an elusive Group One victory. Illness curtailed the mare’s spring campaign when she was found to have a respiratory complaint after her failure in the Moir Stakes in September. Ryan got… Read More »
Authorities have responded to criticism they have been slow to act against former BC3 chairman Bill Vlahos, saying the investigation is the most complex ever undertaken by Racing Victoria. BC3 Thoroughbreds collapsed in December and Vlahos declared bankruptcy in the middle of a NSW Supreme Court case into a supposed… Read More »
Free from the problems which plagued her during the spring, Appearance is fit and ready to make an impact this campaign starting with the Expressway Stakes. The triple Group One winner will take on a strong field in the Group Two sprint at Randwick on Saturday but trainer Guy Walter… Read More »
Shamus Award is primed to repeat his Cox Plate heroics when he returns to racing in another weight-for-age feature on Saturday. The high-profile three-year-old steps out in the Group One CF Orr Stakes at Caulfield and trainer Danny O’Brien insists the son of Snitzel is fit enough to win. Next… Read More »
Trainer David Kelly will set promising galloper Hi Son one more test before a possible feature race campaign. The Gold Coast-based Kelly has been adamant for months that Hi Son could prove a top class galloper once he got to distances further than 2000m. Hi Son took the first step… Read More »
Darren Weir will decide between the Mornington and Launceston Cups for promising stayer Prince Of Penzance after his strong win at Caulfield on Saturday. The four-year-old gelding was sent out a $4.80 chance in the Listed Mornington Cup Prelude (2000m) and, after settling midfield on the fence, sprinted strongly when… Read More »
Classy mare Shamal Wind has claimed an upset win in the Listed WJ Adams Stakes in a race which had a tragic aftermath when filly Kiss A Rose collapsed and died in the mounting yard. Shamal Wind ($10) took out the Listed 1000m sprint by a long head while odds-on… Read More »
