French import Tres Blue is back in the good books with trainer Gai Waterhouse. “When he arrived (on Saturday) he was very narky. He was like a fruit out of season and wasn’t at all happy but he’s really turned around and is eating enormously,” Waterhouse said. “That’s what I… Read More »
The injury that has cost Atlantic Jewel her chance in the Cox Plate means she has most likely run her last race. While trainer Mark Kavanagh hasn’t ruled out a return to racing in the autumn, Atlantic Jewel’s owners have a selection of the world’s best stallions waiting to serve… Read More »
The chance to ride in the Cox Plate has come sooner than expected for apprentice Chad Schofield who partners surprise starter Shamus Award at Moonee Valley on Saturday. The scratching of favourite Atlantic Jewel on Tuesday paved the way for the Danny O’Brien-trained three-year-old, named as emergency, to start in… Read More »
Glen Boss shook the hand of chief steward Terry Bailey after his unsuccessful appeal to have a careless riding ban reduced so he could ride Puissance de Lune in the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley on Saturday. But the champion jockey was not feeling so generous towards fellow hoop Nick… Read More »
Trainer Gary Portelli is keeping first-up expectations in check with Single Style while at the same time hoping she can join high-flying stablemate Rebel Dane in Melbourne. Single Style returns to racing at Rosehill on Saturday after a short break following an autumn and winter campaign. The four-year-old resumes over… Read More »
The Geelong Cup has been a guide to the chances of the European raiders in the Melbourne Cup in recent years but only one has taken up the challenge on Wednesday. Forgotten Voice, who missed a start in Saturday’s Caulfield Cup as the first emergency, is the dominant favourite for… Read More »
Michael Rodd will rely on two pick-up rides to achieve Group One success during the two-day Cox Plate carnival. Rodd’s Cox Plate chances were dealt a blow on Tuesday morning with the scratching from Saturday’s Cox Plate of short-priced favourite Atlantic Jewel with a career-threatening tendon injury. He picked up… Read More »
Ben Melham will ride Puissance De Lune in Saturday’s Cox Plate with Glen Boss failing in his appeal against suspension. Boss will also miss the prized ride on Rebel Dane in Friday night’s Group One Manikato Stakes at Moonee Valley with Dwayne Dunn picking up the mount. The leading jockey… Read More »
Caulfield Cup winning jockey Nick Hall will miss the Cox Plate after failing in his bid to have a careless riding suspension overturned. Hall was outed for a ride in one of the support races on Saturday’s Caulfield Cup card and his poor record counted against him when he appealed… Read More »
Gamblin’ Guru has the pedigree to win a Derby but whether the spring is too soon will be determined by his first distance test at Geelong on Wednesday. Adelaide trainer Leon Macdonald used the 2200m provincial feature as the Victoria Derby lead-up for Rebel Raider, third at Geelong in 2008… Read More »
John Sargent is banking on a patient approach with Good Job Bro having its first reward of the spring at Randwick on Wednesday. A campaign which started out full of hope and promise has returned nothing but frustration from a horse who raced against the best earlier this year. But… Read More »
Peter Snowden is not sure if Long John is good enough to topple a field of weight-for-age stars in Saturday’s Cox Plate but he is certain the classy three-year-old deserves the chance to do so. Snowden elected to keep Long John at home at Flemington on Tuesday morning for his… Read More »
New Zealander It’s A Dundeel has been handed a golden opportunity to establish himself as Australasia’s champion racehorse by winning Saturday’s $3 million Cox Plate. Having inherited favouritism following the shock scratching of Atlantic Jewel soon after acceptances on Tuesday, It’s A Dundeel will have few challengers for the title… Read More »
Caulfield trainer Byron Cozamanis is the new trainer of Cox Plate runner Happy Trails following the failure of Paul Beshara to gain a stay of proceedings to allow him to saddle the horse on Saturday. The shock decision came at the end of a day in which Beshara was disqualified… Read More »
A little over 12 months ago trainer Mike Moroney and his brother Paul believed they had pulled off what would have been a decent coup. The Moroneys and their owners had sniffed out a handy English stayer, their offer in the vicinity of seven figures had been accepted and all… Read More »
To find that you are a 100-1 chance in a race you have travelled across the world to compete in is bound to be less than encouraging. But for expatriate Australian trainer Jane Chapple-Hyam, there are still good reasons to be in Melbourne with her Cox Plate runner Mull Of… Read More »
Oaks Day plans for the Leon Corstens-trained So Bella Arella might be a little premature but he will get a better idea of her ability after Friday night’s Group Two Fillies Classic at Moonee Valley. The three-year-old has been nominated for the Group One VRC Oaks during the Melbourne Cup… Read More »
There are still spots available in Anthony Cummings’ Melbourne stable and emerging three-year-old Forget Maybe can earn his carnival place if he performs as the trainer expects at Rosehill on Saturday. The winner of his only start in a Warwick Farm maiden earlier this month, Forget Maybe runs in a… Read More »
It required only two emphatic words for jockey Brett Prebble to sum up the prospects of Geelong Cup favourite Forgotten Voice: “He’ll win.” Prebble will be in the saddle on Wednesday when Forgotten Voice will attempt to maintain the domination European stayers have in a race that has become the… Read More »
Gary Portelli has declared Rebel Dane spot-on for his Manikato Stakes showdown against a host of star sprinters from home and abroad. But who rides the horse in his bid for back-to-back Group Ones depends on the outcome of Glen Boss’s appeal on Tuesday against a careless riding suspension. Unless… Read More »
