The influence of a speed sire is set to propel juvenile Romantic Touch to heights that two horses in his famous family couldn’t reach. The Gai Waterhouse-trained youngster is early favourite to capture the final two-year-old Group One of the season, Saturday’s JJ Atkins (1600m) at Eagle Farm. A son… Read More »
John Sadler will know on Saturday whether he has a spring horse in lightly-raced three-year-old Scimitar. The unbeaten Scimitar steps up in class in Saturday’s Creswick Stakes (1200m) at Flemington and his performance in the Listed race will decide if he will be given a spring campaign. Scimitar has put… Read More »
Regardless of his performance in Saturday’s Queensland Derby, Hawkspur has already fulfilled the expectations of trainer Chris Waller. Hawkspur will make a clean sweep of the three-year-old stayer’s triple crown at the winter carnival if he wins the Derby at Eagle Farm following victories in the Rough Habit Plate and… Read More »
Kelso Wood, who rates Sizzling the best horse he’s trained, insists the top-class colt won’t be troubled by a seven-day back-up in Saturday’s Stradbroke Handicap. Wood can’t fault Sizzling since he returned to winning form in the Queensland Guineas at Eagle Farm last Saturday and is confident the three-year-old can… Read More »
In one of the most hectic schedules of any Australian two-year-old this season, Gracious Prospect has raced 10 times on nine different racetracks in four states. So far his travels have yet to deliver a win but a return to where his career began in November is tipped to get… Read More »
Stakes-winning mare Lake Sententia has confirmed a Queensland trip with victory at Moonee Valley on Wednesday. The Darren Weir-trained four-year-old was sent out $1.95 favourite in the City Jeep Handicap (2040m) and scored by three-quarters of a length. “She’s going terrific and I reckon there’s a little bit of improvement… Read More »
An outside draw and aggressive tactics brought Your Song undone in the Doomben 10,000 but Peter Robl is confident the colt can redeem himself in Saturday’s Stradbroke Handicap. A brilliant winner of the BTC Cup with Robl aboard two starts ago, Your Song has drawn barrier 11 in Saturday’s Group… Read More »
Family bragging rights will be up for grabs at Flemington when Edgewood and Gail chase victory in separate races on Saturday. Edgewood lines up in the Listed Creswick Stakes (1200m) for three-year-olds but trainer Robbie Griffiths is more confident about the chances of the gelding’s half-sister Gail in the LV… Read More »
On breeding, few horses carried better bloodlines into Weednesday’s Canterbury meeting than Chateau Lafaite. On the track, where it counts, she proved she had the motor to match her pedigree with a barnstorming victory and the promise of bigger things to come. By Redoute’s Choice out of Mulan Princess, the… Read More »
An impressive debut from two-year-old Brand New Choice has provided leading apprentice Chad Schofield with a milestone win at Moonee Valley on Wednesday. Schofield achieved the feat of outriding his claim as he drove the well-bred daughter of Redoute’s Choice through a narrow gap in the straight to take out… Read More »
Trainer John Bary fears Gondokoro more than any of Survived’s male rivals in Saturday’s Queensland Derby. Bary was taken with the Gondokoro’s dominant victory in the Queensland Oaks and again when he spotted her the next day. “I’m scared of the filly. I thought it was great run the other… Read More »
Trainer Chris Waller is leaving nothing to chance as he waits on Stradbroke Handicap start for talented sprinter Riva De Lago. Riva De Lago is a dual acceptor for Saturday’s Listed June Stakes (1200m) at Randwick and the Group One Stradbroke (1400m) at Eagle Farm for which he is first… Read More »
Co-trainers Bill and Symon Wilde have been fined $12,000 over a positive swab from one of their horses after it won a race at Warrnambool. The trainers, who work in partnership at Warrnambool, pleaded guilty to a breach of the racing rules at a Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board hearing… Read More »
Connections of Stradbroke Handicap favourite Sizzling are looking at the positives despite the colt’s wide barrier for Saturday’s Group One sprint. Sizzling remains the $4.50 favourite for the $1.36 million race at Eagle Farm after drawing barrier 18 . But he is being challenged at the top of betting by… Read More »
One gamble has already paid off with Dowdstown Charlie and connections will aim to double up at Eagle Farm on Saturday. Trainer David Payne convinced his fellow owners to geld the two-year-old in April and Dowdstown Charlie rewarded them with a maiden victory at Randwick last Saturday week at his… Read More »
Top three-year-olds Sizzling and Epaulette will have to contend with wide draws in the $1.3 million Stradbroke Handicap. Pre-draw favourite Sizzling has stall 18 while the Peter Snowden-trained Epaulette has gate 22 in Saturday’s Group One sprint at Eagle Farm. If the emergencies aren’t needed, Sizzling will start from barrier… Read More »
Eighteen full-time jobs have been cut by the Australian Turf Club in a restructure aimed at reducing its debt. The merger of the Australian Jockey Club and Sydney Turf Club to form the ATC took place in February 2011 but brought with it high debt levels. The ATC has also… Read More »
The enigmatic Hot Snitzel has convinced his trainer he is up for the Group One challenge in Saturday’s Stradbroke Handicap. The four-year-old was at his best to win the Group Three Sebring Sprint on April 6 but things have gone pear shaped since. He went into the Prime Minister’s Cup… Read More »
June Stakes plans for talented country sprinter Pentasia are likely to shelved in favour of another Queensland race on Saturday. Pentasia made a winning start to a campaign headed towards the Ramornie Handicap at Grafton next month with a brilliant Doomben win. Trainer Marc Quinn was hoping to give the… Read More »
A trip to Queensland is still the plan for Lake Sententia despite a slight interruption to her campaign. The mare runs at Moonee Valley on Wednesday in a race re-scheduled after Saturday’s wash-out of Sandown. The wet weather also meant she missed a gallop but trainer Darren Weir says a… Read More »
