After his stunning 2024 Melbourne Cup victory, Knight’s Choice will aim to defend his title in 2025, with trainers Sheila Laxon and John Symons confirming plans to prioritise an Australian campaign. The team dismissed the allure of an overseas campaign, including the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, citing track flexibility… Read More »
Australian gallopers Without A Fight, Antino, and Recommendation had a forgettable outing at the Hong Kong International Races on Sunday, failing to make an impact in their respective events. Melbourne Cup hero Without A Fight was a shadow of his best in the Hong Kong Vase, finishing 16 lengths off… Read More »
It was a clinical victory by the Hong Kong champion, poised throughout in fourth on the rail before dispatching of his rivals soon upon straightening, winning the Hong Kong International Cup by 1.5 lengths by Liberty Island with Tastiera third. “It’s been a remarkable effort by Danny [Shum] and his… Read More »
As hard as they tried, they couldn’t get past Playhouse Patron in the Listed G.A.Towton Cup (2200m) at Ascot on Saturday, the Bob McPherson-trained gelding’s tough effort boosting his Perth Cup (2400m) credentials on New Year’s Day. Playhouse Patron was there for the taking and looked vulnerable when headed by Diamond… Read More »
They came, they saw and they conquered. The eastern states raiders made it a clean sweep of Perth’s Group 1 races when Light Infantry Man rebounded to win the Northerly Stakes (1800m) at Ascot on Saturday. Giving powerhouse trainer Ciaron Maher and jockey, Ethan Brown the final Group 1 of… Read More »
He has been mixing his distances this campaign, but classy gelding Rustic Steel will return to arguably his favourite trip as he bids to give trainer Kris Lees back-to-back victories in The Ingham. The seven-year-old has won half of his six starts over a mile and Lees expects him to relish extending… Read More »
They came, they saw and they conquered. The eastern states raiders made it a clean sweep of Perth’s Group 1 races when Light Infantry Man rebounded to win the Northerly Stakes (1800m) at Ascot on Saturday. Giving powerhouse trainer Ciaron Maher and jockey, Ethan Brown the final Group 1 of the Australian… Read More »
Saddling up half the field in the Bribie Handicap, Tony Gollan had weight of numbers on his side and the race went virtually to script as the two most fancied of his sextet, Golden Boom and Zarastro, fought out the finish. It was the former who came out on top, jockey Kyle… Read More »
It felt as if the stars aligned for Berkeley Square to win the Listed Ballarat Cup (2000m) with local trainer Dan O’Sullivan re-uniting with stable apprentice Jaylah Kennedy to take their hometown Cup. Kennedy, who had ridden Berkeley Square in his first six runs this campaign, including two wins at open level, wasn’t… Read More »
Promising three-year-old Private Harry continues to make all the right moves on and off the track, taking his unbeaten streak to three despite not enjoying the soft conditions at Rosehill. Displaying the type of racing manners that trainer Nathan Doyle says reflects his attitude at home, the young colt travelled generously for… Read More »
Brisbane’s dominant trainer for the past decade, Tony Gollan will realise a long-held ambition when he saddles up in-form gelding Antino in the Hong Kong Mile at the International meeting at Sha Tin. A brilliant winner of the Toorak Handicap at Caulfield two starts ago, Antino beat all but proven weight-for-age… Read More »
Trainer Michael Grantham says Diamond Scene can keep his Perth Cup (2400m) momentum going when he attempts to win the second leg of a feature double at Ascot on Saturday. Diamond Scene will tackle the G.A.Towton Cup (2200m), a critical Perth Cup lead-up race, against ten other rivals, nearly a month… Read More »
He could be described as the King of the Country Cups. Station One has been here there and everywhere throughout Victoria tackling small Country Cups. However, trainer Liam Howley has elected to bypass the Listed Ballarat Cup (2000m) on Saturday in favour of the Global Turf Handicap (2000m) instead. Along the journey… Read More »
Apprentice Jaylah Kennedy is in the mix to be reuntited with Berkeley Square in the Ballarat Cup. However, trainer Dan O’Sullivan has spoken with stewards to delay notification of who will ride Berkeley Square in the $500,000 Listed race over 2000m on Saturday until scratching time. O’Sullivan said he wanted to see who… Read More »
James McDonald boasts an enviable book of rides at Sha Tin on Sunday spearheaded by Romantic Warrior who gets his chance to make history in the Group 1 Hong Kong Cup. McDonald has nine rides in the ten-race program with the most highly anticipated of those Romantic Warrior who on… Read More »
It has been a game-changing start to the season for young Newcastle trainer Nathan Doyle and he is hoping promising colt Private Harry can continue the stable’s trajectory over the summer. Doyle made his first foray into Group 1 racing during the spring with Harlem Queen, who placed in the Flight… Read More »
The opportunity to earn a ballot exemption for the Stradbroke Handicap has tempted connections of Mister Bianco to take on the older horses in The Gateway, but the move is more than just a throw at the stumps. The three-year-old has been scratched from a benchmark race on Saturday’s Eagle Farm… Read More »
It may not have been Australia’s richest race, but Phillip Stokes got a huge thrill out of winning the Birdsville Cup with Neodium. The victory in September was Neodium’s second on the outback circuit, the difference in the gelding’s latest victory, Stokes was on course to witness it. Stokes grew up… Read More »
If a week is a long time in racing, then 18 months is an eternity. That’s certainly the case for Ethan Brown, who is quickly becoming one of Australia’s best young jockeys. Brown spent more than five months on the sidelines last year, due to a race fall in March’s… Read More »
All three Australian raiders have drawn well at the HKIR barrier draw on Thursday, spearheaded by Melbourne Cup winner Without A Fight. Drawn the rails for Sunday’s Group 1 Hong Kong Vase (2400m), Without A Fight lines up for just his second start since winning last year’s Cup. “He was obviously… Read More »
