Read what each of the jockeys said about their mounts in the 2024 The Everest at Randwick on Saturday 19th October. Craig Williams (Bella Nipotina) On the mare: “I couldn’t do it without the performance of Bella. We drew 12, we were hoping for more rain, but the track was to… Read More »
From a dramatic late scratching at the barriers to a heart-stopping finish, The Everest has produced another remarkable chapter with Bella Nipotina becoming the first mare to triumph in the $20 million spring showpiece. A rare athlete, the seven-year-old is peaking on the racetrack at an age when most are in… Read More »
Bjorn Baker’s disappointment in not securing an Everest slot with Overpass was eased when the proven fresh performer claimed a pretty decent consolation with a brilliant win in an eventful $2 million Sydney Stakes at Randwick. The trainer had aimed Overpass to resume on Saturday’s program and had been hoping that would… Read More »
It wasn’t the race Ciaron Maher and owners Kevin and Vicky Payne had their eyes on coming into the campaign, but Estriella returned to winning form on the day of the world’s richest sprint race. The classy mare put two unplaced runs in Group 1 races earlier in the campaign behind her… Read More »
What had been a frustrating start to the day for the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable turned full circle with the all the way victory of Too Darn Lizzie at Caulfield. Prior to the running of the Group 2 Thousand Guineas Prelude (1600m) on Saturday, Waterhouse was bemoaning the frustration… Read More »
It has been a case of third time lucky for remarkable gelding Far Too Easy, who has capped his storied career with a stunning victory in the $2 million The Kosciuszko at Randwick. Having placed behind Front Page in the country feature for the past two years, Far Too Easy finally… Read More »
Trainer Dan O’Sullivan said he would let the dust settle and enjoy the win of Too Darn Discreet in the Group 3 Ethereal Stakes (2000m) before confirming further spring ambitions. O’Sullivan would like to press on to the Group 1 VRC Oaks (2500m) at Flemington on November 7 via the Group 2… Read More »
For the second successive year the favourite has been beaten in the Caulfield Classic, a key lead up to the Victoria Derby. Following the scratching of Red Aces at the barrier before Saturday’s Group 3 contest over 2000m for three-year-old colts and geldings, Keeneland shortened dramatically to run an odds-on… Read More »
The racing world is grieving the tragic loss of New Zealand jockey Johnathan Parkes, who passed away overnight at the age of 35. Parkes was a celebrated rider in New Zealand, amassing more than 1,000 career wins, including 62 black-type races and 12 Group One victories. His exceptional talent and… Read More »
Last start Group 1 winner Deny Knowledge faces another Racing Victoria veterinary inspection before starting in the Caulfield Cup. Deny Knowledge, who last start defeated Mr Brightside in the Group 1 Might And Power (2000m) at Caulfield last week, was inspected by RV vets on Thursday who had noticed a change… Read More »
Naturalism Stakes winner Positivity has been withdrawn from Saturday’s Caulfield Cup following an unsatisfactory trot-up on Friday. Trainer Andrew Forsman made the decision to scratch the four-year-old mare after she failed to meet his expectations during the routine check. Fancy Man, who recently finished third in the Group 2 Herbert Power… Read More »
Saturday’s Caulfield Cup will be run thousands of kilometres away from Hong Kong, but that doesn’t mean Zac Purton’s competitive instincts have lessened. Hong Kong’s champion rider heads a big group of jockeys from that jurisdiction in Melbourne for the $5 million event, some of whom are yet to ride… Read More »
The shuffle of spring three-year-old fillies races has opened opportunities for the promising Robbie Griffiths and Mathew de Kock-trained Tobeornottobe. The Group 2 Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday will go a long way to determining the eventual path the filly takes. The change in programming has resulted… Read More »
Gun jockey Jimmy Orman will be missing from the Queensland riding ranks for close to a three week period, in the first instance while taking up another opportunity to ride for the Michael Costa stable in Dubai, before taking a well-earned holiday in Japan. “We spoke and Michael was always… Read More »
Group 1 winning trainer Paul Jenkins might fly largely under the radar these days but give him just a sniff of a good horse and he will produce quality results … like the exceptional five wins in a row by I Am Artie, with the lightly raced son of Artie… Read More »
One jockey not at all upset about weights not being raised in the Caulfield Cup is Sydney-based Winona Costin who will ride for the second time in the Group 1 handicap. Costin finished fourth aboard the Annabel Neasham-trained Bois D’Argent in last year’s race and will be looking to improve on that… Read More »
Co-trainer Adrian Bott believes the presence of four three-year-olds adds intrigue into what is shaping as a wide open The Everest at Randwick on Saturday. Bott and Gai Waterhouse are yet to win an Everest and this year their stable’s hopes rest with three-year-old colt Storm Boy and three-year-old filly Lady Of Camelot…. Read More »
Trainer Bjorn Baker believes a below-expectations performance from Overpass in last year’s The Everest probably played against him when it came to securing a slot this year. It means the proven fresh performer is instead scheduled to make his return in Saturday’s $2 million Sydney Stakes (1200m) on the undercard to The… Read More »
The higher bar of competition across metro and provincial racing over springtime in Victoria has Ballarat-based Henry Dwyer sending a runner who can strike back winning form to Adelaide on Saturday. Nishino Crescent firmed from $13 into $11 overnight and Dwyer is hoping the five-year-old by Japanese sire Satono Aladdin can make… Read More »
As Soldiers Camp bolted to a commanding victory in last Saturday’s Genesis Minerals Leonora Cup (1600m), the profound impact of the race meeting was not lost on racecaller Royce Newton. From his vantage, the unique community connection racing fosters was obvious, as hundreds of racegoers gathered at the Leonora Racing… Read More »
