Another Listed race is on the radar for Dances On Stars following his breakthrough stakes win at Randwick on Wednesday. Trainer Gerald Ryan diverted from his usual practice and sent the four-year-old fresh into the Listed Carrington Stakes (1100m) without a barrier trial. The method worked with Dances On Stars… Read More »
Nigel Blackiston declared visiting apprentice Oisin Murphy a future star after he partnered Outback Joe to victory in the Listed Bagot Handicap at Flemington. Irish apprentice Murphy, 18, is on loan to the Danny O’Brien stable and backed up his metropolitan win at Moonee Valley last weekend on Settler’s Way… Read More »
Bjorn Baker is chasing million-dollar paydays with Unencumbered and Twilight Royale and is looking to Baio to put himself in the frame for another rich race. Unencumbered is the equal favourite for the $2 million Magic Millions Classic at the Gold Coast on Saturday week while Twilight Royale can collect… Read More »
Kaiser Sun was on his best behaviour at Flemington and it showed as the short-priced favourite romped home an easy winner in the Flemington 1840-2014 Handicap. At his last start two weeks ago the Danerich gelding was fractious when loading into the barriers but still won easily. On Wednesday, his… Read More »
Trainer Steve O’Dea’s was spot on when he predicted there wasn’t much between his two runners in the Bollinger Handicap at Eagle Farm on Wednesday. In, fact at the finish there was only a short head between Fairytale Belle ($6) and Beatniks ($5.50) when they hit line after a duel… Read More »
For the second year in a row, Donna Logan has won a Group Two race at Ellerslie with an Ekraar filly heading for the New Zealand Derby. Last year Habibi won the Championship Stakes (2100m) on New Year’s Day for the Ruakaka trainer on the way to eventual Derby success,… Read More »
Trainer Peter Moody is in Queensland inspecting yearlings but that didn’t stop him giving jockey Chad Schofield a confidence-boosting telephone call about the Flemington chances of Spirits Dance. The champion apprentice backed up Moody’s faith in the filly by winning Melbourne’s first race for 2014, belying her $21 starting price… Read More »
Top Cambridge juvenile Vinnie Eagle is on his way to Sydney for the Inglis Classic after easily taking out the Group Three Eclipse Stakes at Ellerslie. Vinnie Eagle was sent to the front at the start of the 1200m contest by jockey Leith Innes and kicked away in the straight… Read More »
Warwick Farm trainer David Pfieffer believes his Queensland satellite stable is still two months from being at its top despite winning its first feature race. Pfieffer has a satellite training operation at Barham Stud, near Toowoomba, which has had a steady stream of winners, mainly on provincial and bush tracks,… Read More »
Trainer Greg Eurell has one Flemington runner but there will be plenty of punters wanting to see how Paddy’s Gem backs up after her win over Black Caviar’s little sister Belle Couture. Paddy’s Gem has pulled up well after her maiden victory at Bendigo on December 22 with Eurell saying… Read More »
Irish apprentice jockey Oisin Murphy, fresh from his first metropolitan win on Danny O’Brien’s Settler’s Way at Moonee Valley on Saturday, was winning form again on Tuesday. He won the first race at Echuca on another O’Brien horse, Letsgetsideways ($3.70), beating the $2.45 favourite Riverlea Rakish by a neck in… Read More »
Trainer Danny O’Brien is hoping for back-to-back Standish Handicap wins at Flemington when he saddles Decircles in the Group Three sprint. Adamantium led all the way to win the $150,000 sprint down the Flemington straight in brilliant style in 2013 and O’Brien is hoping front-running Decircles can replicate that effort… Read More »
Ron Quinton reckons the reason why Master Harry will parade in perfect health before the Carrington Stakes also explains the sprinter’s struggle for form. “He looks great, as a stallion would,” Quinton said. “You couldn’t fault him on his looks. “He’s in good order the little bugger but he’s a… Read More »
Joe Pride, a master of timing when it comes to using blinkers on his horses, is playing down their importance to Tattersalls Club Cup favourite Destiny’s Kiss at Randwick on Wednesday. One of the hard-luck stories of Sydney racing over the past month, Destiny’s Kiss is a confirmed starter in… Read More »
The odds suggest top jockey Leith Innes could have a fantastic day at one of New Zealand’s richest race meetings, but it may depend on the weather. Of the six Group races scheduled at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day, TAB bookies rate Innes’ mounts as favourite in four of them,… Read More »
Any insurance claims people believe they have in relation to Black Caviar’s half-brother is a matter for the administrators of BC3 Thoroughbreds, William Inglis and Son boss Mark Webster says. BC3 signed a record $5 million contract at the Easter Yearling Sale to buy the colt but the auction house… Read More »
Victoria Derby winner Polanksi could make his return in weight-for-age company on his way to the Australian Guineas and the Australian Derby. Robbie Laing is considering the Group One CF Orr Stakes, and also the Futurity Stakes, against older horses as options for the three-year-old. Star colt All Too Hard… Read More »
A good barrier draw and the presence of the front running Zaratone in the Carrington Stakes give Hidden Warrior the chance to return to the form trainer Paul Perry wants to see before committing him to a Gold Coast trip. A Group Three winner at Moonee Valley during the 2012… Read More »
Unchain My Heart will be on trial for the Adelaide Cup when she aims for her second win in the Listed Bagot Handicap at Flemington. The David Hayes-trained mare has proven herself in off-season staying features at Flemington in recent seasons, winning the Bagot Handicap (2800m) two years ago and… Read More »
The luxury of the minimum weight gives Poste Restante the chance to register an overdue stakes win in the Listed Tattersall’s City Cup at Randwick. Trainer Desleigh Forster said the mare would appreciate carrying 54kg on Wednesday after being slugged with 59kg at her past two starts in Brisbane. “For… Read More »
