Ciaron Maher expressed frustration and bewilderment at Craig Williams’ tactics aboard the heavily backed Jimmysstar, who succumbed to an upset defeat by $151 outsider Makram at Flemington. Maher lambasted Williams’ deviation from the race plan, asserting, “Craig just had an absolute brain fade.” “I don’t know why he did that…. Read More »
Gary Portelli feared Kimochi was about to be the bridesmaid yet again when Learning To Fly ranged up to her in the Light Fingers Stakes, but his filly showed great courage to kick back and land an overdue black-type win. The three-year-old had finished runner-up five times in 10 starts, four of those… Read More »
James McDonald has thrown out a challenge to Fangirl’s autumn carnival rivals, declaring it will take a mighty horse to get the better of her this campaign on the strength of her exquisite first-up display. Fangirl ($2.10 fav) made a one-act affair of Saturday’s Apollo Stakes (1400m) at Randwick, deftly rounding… Read More »
Imperatriz has brushed off the doubters following a poor trial at Cranbourne to extend her winning streak to six with a first-up win at Flemington. Success in the Black Caviar Lightning (1000m) on Saturday was the mare’s fifth Group 1 win on end and the fifth in her last six starts… Read More »
The Chris Waller-trained Riff Rocket joined a rare bunch when he claimed the CS Hayes Stakes first-up at Flemington after winning a Group 1 staying feature in the spring. The Group 3 win over 1400m on Saturday came after Riff Rocket had claimed the Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) at… Read More »
Having unlocked the key to King Of Sparta, Peter and Paul Snowden continue to reap the rewards, again producing the horse fresh to score a powerful win in the Group 2 Expressway Stakes at Randwick. In doing so, King Of Sparta claimed the scalp of Champions Sprint placegetter Buenos Noches, who was sent… Read More »
Trainer Danny O’Brien is likely to resist the temptation of taking on the ‘boys’ in the Australian Guineas after Grinzinger Belle resumed with a strong win at Flemington. Grinzinger Belle took out the Group 3 The Vanity (1400m) on Saturday leading throughout after jumping from a wide draw. Ridden by Damian… Read More »
Chris Waller is zeroing in on a second consecutive Golden Slipper after Switzerland took his record to two wins from as many starts in the Pierro Plate at Randwick, outmanoeuvring the previously unbeaten Shangri La Express. The Coolmore-owned colt mustered speed to sit at the flanks of his Tulloch Lodge rival, who… Read More »
The race for the Brisbane Apprentice Jockey Premiership will be well and truly resumed at Eagle Farm tomorrow with Bailey Wheeler returning to the saddle after spending a month’s stable enforced suspension from race riding … a move which was handed down by his boss Annabel Neasham. This is the… Read More »
Luke Fernie has the Magic Millions WA 3YO Trophy (1200m) in his sights for a second time after Man Crush cruised to a comfortable 2 ½ length victory a year ago. And punters are right behind Stormchaser following a similar trajectory, backing the Impending gelding from $2.20 to $1.85 favouritism with… Read More »
Trainer Matthew Dunn might have the numbers and his runners have most of the betting support for the Newhaven Park Country Championships qualifier at Lismore on Saturday, but his fellow Murwillumbah based trainer David McColm might just have the horse to upset the applecart. The lightly raced, chestnut mare Fairway… Read More »
Every horse has its own story, but here is a story with a difference. The second qualifying race in the 2024 Newhaven Park Country Championships is scheduled to take place at Albury on Sunday and it comes with an usual twist in the makeup of the sixteen-strong lineup as two… Read More »
Victoria Derby winner Riff Rocket will lead a team of three horses into a Stakes race at Flemington that their trainer Chris Waller hopes will lead to a bigger prize. Riff Rocket, Tannhauser and Cap Ferrat run in the Group 3 CS Hayes Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on Saturday as a prelude… Read More »
The 2024 Newhaven Park Country Championship Series gets underway this weekend with the Northern Rivers Region qualifier taking place at Lismore on Saturday … weather permitting. The track is currently listed as a Heavy 8 with rail predicted throughout Friday. Murwillumbah based trainer Matthew Dunn has loaded up for the… Read More »
Jerome Hunter knows the odds are stacked against his mare Rich Fortune in the Black Caviar Lightning at Flemington. But at the end of the day, Rich Fortune will collect a minimum of $20,000 just for competing in the Group 1 sprint over 1000m on Saturday. “That is a guarantee,” Hunter told… Read More »
The juvenile action is set to ramp up a notch at Randwick with two of the top three fancies in Golden Slipper betting preparing for a showdown in the Pierro Plate. Unbeaten colt Shangri La Express will launch his campaign in the 1100 metre race, putting him on a collision course… Read More »
For most of his career, Strait Acer has been like an active toddler – high energy, headstrong and a little wild. Even when he strung together a trio of wins during the late winter and spring, then was highly competitive in the Silver Eagle and Golden Eagle, trainer Ed Cummings said the horse… Read More »
Trainer Phillip Stokes will not be aiming too high with Savannah Cloud who makes his racetrack return at Flemington. Stokes has picked out the Listed The Elms Stakes (1400m) on Saturday as the ideal lead into another 1400m race at Flemington on March 9, the Group 3 Shaftesbury Avenue Handicap. Savannah Cloud… Read More »
Facile has had her share of near misses during a limited racing career, but the filly’s physical improvement might finally tip the scales in her favour where it matters most. The daughter of Trapeze Artist resumes in the Group 2 Light Fingers Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday, one of three… Read More »
A lack of suitable sprint options in Melbourne has prompted Grahame Begg to set his sights on the Sydney carnival with classy mare C’Est Magique, who launches her campaign in the Triscay Stakes at Randwick. Keen to restrict the four-year-old to shorter sprints after she failed at her only start beyond… Read More »
