The Ciaron Maher stable will commence the autumn campaigns of two of its three-year-olds in a Stakes race at Sandown. Odinson and Another Prophet will clash in the Group 3 Manfred Stakes (1200m) on Saturday as they prepare for richer autumn targets. A surprise Group 1 winner at the tail end of the… Read More »
Reece Goodwin does not expect Bermondsey to be at Caulfield on Blue Diamond Day, but he is a little chuffed that the gelding will play a part in the Blue Diamond series. The son of Hanseatic, whose maternal side features a past winner of the Blue Diamond Stakes, makes his debut… Read More »
An untimely shower of rain put paid to the chances of Cosmonova last start, but a forecast for fine weather has trainer Joe Pride optimistic she can rebound at Randwick. The mare will back up in Saturday’s Ranvet Handicap (1200m), seven days after she contested the final race at Rosehill, finishing… Read More »
It didn’t take trainer Shane Nichols long to decide to head to Adelaide with debutant La Reine. Nichols accepted with the filly in a heat of the Blue Diamond Preview (1000m) at Sandown and the Dominant Two-Year-Old Plate (1050m) at Morphettville, both run on Saturday, and after drawing barrier 15 at… Read More »
Clayton Douglas is looking forward to the challenge of taking Title Fighter to Moonee Valley to contest the sprinter’s first Stakes race. After wins at Pakenham and Geelong, Title Fighter jumps significantly in grade when he lines up in the Group 2 Australia Stakes (1200m) on Friday night. Title Fighter is unbeaten… Read More »
Trainer Matt Hoysted is hoping that Appin Girl can turn a last start disappointment into a win that carry a whole lot of meaning to connections on Friday night. Appin Girl’s owner, Howard Blight, died on Wednesday morning but while his family and friends grieved their loss the racing gods provided… Read More »
Fresh from a midweek double, Zac Lloyd will bid to continue his good form at Randwick where he has a full book of rides, four of them for leading trainer Chris Waller. Sydney’s champion apprentice for the past two seasons, Lloyd completed his indentures with Godolphin at the end of November… Read More »
For the second Saturday in a row, Chris Waller and the powerful Coolmore operation will unveil a seven-figure Magic Millions yearling in Sydney. Snitzel youngster United States will make his debut in the $160,000 The Agency Real Estate Handicap (1000m) at Randwick. His debut comes seven days after $1.6 million yearling… Read More »
A first-up tilt at the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap is on the table for Joliestar as connections look to capitalise on her outstanding fresh record. The Chris Waller-trained mare indicated she had returned to work in top order with an impressive barrier trial win at Rosehill on Thursday, stretching out nicely… Read More »
Zac Purton became the winning-most rider ever in Hong Kong when he steered both Spirit Of Peace and View Of The World to victory at Happy Valley on Wednesday. Purton arrived at the city venue needing two winners to surpass Douglas Whyte’s figure of 1,813, and it didn’t take the… Read More »
The Brisbane Winter Carnival could be on the cards for Shanwah after the Ciaron Maher-trained gelding broke through for his maiden victory at Mornington. Having his fifth race start on Wednesday, Shanwah took out the Sportsbet Racing Form Plate (1600m) at his second start from a spell. Originally prepared by… Read More »
Few of Chris Waller’s horses sneak under the guard of punters, but filly Eccedere did precisely that when she took out a midweek maiden on Randwick’s Kensington track at double-figure odds. The three-year-old had been beaten by a combined total of more than 20 lengths in her trio of starts and… Read More »
Golden Rose runner-up Traffic Warden will make his first public appearance of the year when he headlines another important set of barrier trials at Rosehill. The Godolphin colt, who was a narrow second to stablemate Broadsiding in the Group 1, will step out in a 900m heat on the course proper on… Read More »
The Listed Carrington Stakes has been scrapped from the Randwick program after failing to attract sufficient interest. Nine entries were received on Monday and that number swelled to 10 when Ciaron Maher added classy mare Semana to the mix when nominations were extended. But with just six horses paying up for the… Read More »
Tom Dabernig is looking to a Listed race at Sandown being the easier option for Fickle than a Stakes race at Moonee Valley. Trainer Tom Dabernig thought he had made a mistake when the final fields came out for Sandown on Saturday. Dabernig decided to accept with Fickle in the Listed W… Read More »
Trainer Stefan Vahala says Aztec Ruler has improved since an almost perfect Melbourne debut as the five-year-old prepares to face another interstate battle in Saturday’s Listed John Dillon Stakes (1400m) at Sandown. Aztec Ruler, a dual black-type winner in Perth, created a big impression at Flemington two weeks ago when… Read More »
The Ciaron Maher stable will get a better guide to potential autumn targets for Southport Tycoon after his return run at Moonee Valley. Southport Tycoon resumes in the Group 2 Australia Stakes (1200m) on Friday night, a race he finished second behind Veight in last year. The son of Written Tycoon went… Read More »
Private Eye is being treated for an eye infection at the Randwick Equine Centre, all but ruling him out of the autumn features in Sydney. The high-class gelding has been a regular fixture at his major hometown carnivals in recent seasons but trainer Joe Pride is resigned to refocusing on the… Read More »
Dan O’Connor has played the waiting game with Chino La Diva but time and patience is proving a successful combination for the mare. It took Chino La Diva 14 starts before she cracked her maiden and after scoring at Bunbury, she made it two in a row at Pinjarra. O’Connor says Chino… Read More »
A wave of notable late entries has reshaped the lineup for Friday night’s Group 2 Australia Stakes at The Valley, including the addition of G1 Thousand Guineas winner Another Prophet. The spring classic victor was among the late nominations submitted on Tuesday, alongside last-start Standish Handicap winner It’sourtime and the… Read More »
