Brown Panther is on track for the Melbourne Cup after recovering from a high temperature to run fifth in a Listed race at Goodwood won By Grandeur. With part-owner, former English soccer great Michael Owen present, Brown Panther attempted to burn off his rivals but was conceding weight across the… Read More »
Guy Walter is confident class mare Appearance can turn around an indifferent first-up performance and add to his spring carnival bounty. The trainer has been in glowing form over the past week winning Newcastle’s Cameron Handicap with Toydini and Saturday’s Group One George Main Stakes with Streama. Appearance will be… Read More »
Damien Oliver says Bel Sprinter has plenty in his favour in the Moir Stakes as the jockey looks to make his mark at Group One level for the first time since his return from a ban for betting. Bel Sprinter enters Friday night’s 1200m weight-for-age clash at Moonee Valley armed… Read More »
Trainer Gary Portelli is looking on the bright side of a seemingly adverse barrier draw for stable star Rebel Dane in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes on Sunday. Rebel Dane came up with barrier 16 for the 1400m handicap at Caulfield in a capacity field of 18. The sprinter, who… Read More »
There is no Group One racing at Rosehill on Saturday but the meeting will still hold great significance for Gai Waterhouse. With the Queen’s horse Carlton House ruled out of the Epsom Handicap, the strength of Waterhouse’s hand in the Randwick mile will be decided when Our Desert Warrior and… Read More »
The next generation of the Payne dynasty achieved a significant career milestone at Eagle Farm on Wednesday. Apprentice Sam Payne became the latest city-winning rider from the family of top jockeys after taking out the Ticketek Handicap (1000m) aboard Sammi Jain for his master Lawrie Mayfield-Smith. Payne is keen to… Read More »
Damien Oliver says Bel Sprinter has plenty in his favour in the Moir Stakes as the jockey looks to make his mark at Group One level for the first time since his return from a ban for betting. Bel Sprinter enters Friday night’s 1200m weight-for-age clash at Moonee Valley armed… Read More »
David Payne isn’t one to get excited about the potential of a young horse but superbly bred colt Rock Hero has him bubbling with optimism. The three-year-old broke his maiden in emphatic fashion at Canterbury on Wednesday, dictating from the front to take out the Australian Turf Club Handicap (1550m)… Read More »
Two Australian victories in midweek company has laid the platform for improving stayer Surpass to chase a first stakes win at Mornington on Saturday. Surpass has finished strongly in both starts since joining Mike Moroney’s stable, winning by good margins in races at Sandown and Mornington. The former New Zealander… Read More »
A capacity field of 18 and one emergency has been declared for Sunday’s Group One Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield. Stradbroke Handicap winner Linton is topweight with 58kg in the 1400m handicap and has drawn barrier nine. Australian Guineas winner Ferlax, runner-up to Atlantic Jewel in the Memsie Stakes… Read More »
A field of 10 sprinters has been declared for Friday night’s Moir Stakes at Moonee Valley including last year’s winner Buffering who is bidding to break through for his first Group One success. The Moir Stakes (1200m) is being run at Group One level for the first time this year… Read More »
Trainer-jockey Johnny Murtagh plans to give Royal Diamond a work-out over the weekend before making a final decision on a trip to Australia for the Melbourne Cup. A reliable performer all season with a Group Three and Listed race wins to his name, the seven-year-old was said to have been… Read More »
Charlie Boy will run in Sunday’s Caulfield Guineas Prelude rather than the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes, delaying Jim Cassidy’s quest for a 100th Group One win. The champion jockey will now have to wait until Epsom Handicap day in Sydney on Saturday week to become just the third rider to… Read More »
Fiorente is out of the Caulfield Cup with trainer Gai Waterhouse opting to focus the five-year-old on the Cox Plate a week later as his Melbourne Cup lead-up. Second favourite for the Melbourne Cup, Fiorente won the Group Two Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes at Moonee Valley at his last… Read More »
Hong Kong sprinter Lucky Nine is the first of the international spring carnival contenders to arrive in Australia after earlier fears he would be delayed by Typhoon Usagi. Trained by Caspar Fownes, Lucky Nine left Hong Kong on time and travelled to Werribee on Tuesday ahead of his assault on… Read More »
Carlton House has joined Shoot Out as an Epsom Handicap withdrawal. Following Shoot Out’s retirement on Monday, Carlton House was taken out of the $500,000 race on Tuesday. His defection from the Group One for which he was a $17 chance continues a stop-start spring for the horse who is… Read More »
Group One winner Commanding Jewel could still play a part in the spring carnival with trainer Leon Corstens hopeful she can make a quick recovery from a hamstring problem. Corstens was a little more upbeat on Tuesday, 24 hours after he noticed the mare had a problem, with scans showing… Read More »
Past experience has Ron Quinton cautious about an Epsom Handicap start for Monton and the trainer isn’t looking any further than a Group Two win at Rosehill on Saturday. The trainer will put blinkers on Monton in the Shannon Stakes (1500m) to help keep him sharp but has not committed… Read More »
Darley star Guelph has at least one opposition stable running scared before the Flight Stakes. In a concession Guelph might be a class above Sydney’s three-year-old fillies, Randwick trainer Anthony Cummings will send Wordplay to Melbourne on Wednesday night. Guelph looked in formidable touch with her Tea Rose Stakes victory… Read More »
Stradbroke Handicap winner Linton has been ruled out of the Moir Stakes at Moonee Valley on Friday night in favour of the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield two days later. Trainer John Sadler has opted for the extra 200m of the Rupert Clarke (1400m) to give the seven-year-old his… Read More »
