Joe Pride has spotted an anomaly in the otherwise outstanding record of his high-class sprinter Private Eye, and it has made him wonder whether the horse’s slight form slump is seasonal. The 11-time winner and proven Group 1 performer is yet to strike a blow during the Sydney autumn carnival, his best… Read More »
With the potential of a jockey shortage at Mornington, trainer Grahame Begg and owner Gary Towzell got on the front foot in the search of a jockey for Maharba at Mornington. The three-year-old runs in the Listed Hareeba Stakes (1200m) on Saturday, but longer-term Wagga-based Towzell has his eyes on a feature… Read More »
David Payne has taken the blame for Navajo Peak’s disappointing campaign, but he remains adamant the horse will respond to a distance rise in the JRA Plate at Randwick. The five-year-old posted the most significant win of his career in last year’s Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m), prompting Payne to target… Read More »
Chain Of Lightning’s TJ Smith Stakes win immediately stamped her one of the headline acts of this year’s Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, but whether she gets the chance to bolster her page this weekend could be weather dependant. The daughter of Fighting Sun is not a certain starter in… Read More »
New Zealanders Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray have their heart set on winning a start in the Caulfield Cup at Mornington. The Listed Mornington Cup (2400m) on Saturday offers the winner a start in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) in October, a race Ritchie would like to see lightly raced… Read More »
Connections of Champagne Stakes contender Fearless will revert to riding the colt cold as they bid to harness the youngster’s best asset. Co-trainer Paul Snowden felt Fearless became too competitive when settling midfield and between runners in the ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) last start, tiring late to finish sixth. His… Read More »
Clayton Douglas reveals that his star sprinter Giga Kick is gearing up for a return to the racetrack, potentially as early as July. After recovering from muscle tears, Giga Kick has matured physically and is in excellent condition. Douglas has earmarked The Everest in October as the ultimate goal for… Read More »
Kayla Nisbet, the accomplished jockey who recently clinched a win in the Country Championships Final, has announced her retirement from riding. The decision comes less than a month after her shining moment at Royal Randwick aboard Asgarda. Nisbet, 29, will transition to a new role as a presenter and form… Read More »
Jockey Ben Melham has been transported to hospital following a fall soon after jumping from the barriers at Caulfield Heath. The fall has put Melham’s ride aboard Malkovich in the $5 million The Quokka (1200m) at Ascot on Saturday in jeopardy. Racing Victoria stewards reported Melham was being transported to hospital… Read More »
Trainer Mick Kent will consider a trip to Queensland for the Winter Carnival following the debut win of Steel Run at Caulfield Heath. Having his first start in the Sportsbet Set A Deposit Limit Plate (1600m) on Wednesday, Steel Run needed every metre of that trip to score. Outsprinted approaching the hometurn,… Read More »
A plan three months in the making will come to fruition on the final day of the Sydney autumn carnival when Linebacker chases a Group One win in the Champagne Stakes at Randwick. Trainer John O’Shea earmarked the final leg of the two-year-old triple crown as a target for the youngster before… Read More »
Chris Waller has long been a proponent of seasoning his later-maturing two-year-olds during the Brisbane winter carnival, and Canterbury winner Imperial Force is poised to follow that route. The highest price colt sold at last year’s Inglis Easter Sale, the son of Snitzel out of Gold Fever mare Ultimate Fever was a $1.6… Read More »
Nicely bred two-year-old filly Rich Dottie provided Grahame Begg with a couple of firsts at Caulfield Heath. The win of the filly in the Sportsbet Fast Form Handicap (1000m) on Wednesday was the trainer’s first two-year-old winner of the season as well as his first for Yu Long Investments. Rich Dottie is… Read More »
Mitchell Pateman has never wavered in his opinion that gun three-year-old Almighty Class could win a major feature event, the only question in his mind was when and where. Pateman hoped it could have been at last year’s Ascot Pinnacles carnival, but the chance went begging and cruelly cut short… Read More »
It has taken a while, but Paul Preusker says Captain Envious is now the seasoned stayer that can be targeted towards Australia’s best staying races. The Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup are on Preusker’s mind as Captain Envious heads towards start number 20 in the Listed Mornington Cup (2400m) on Saturday. Success… Read More »
Fresh from plundering two Group One races on Queen Elizabeth Stakes day, Ciaron Maher will be looking to keep his winning momentum rolling into the final major of the Sydney autumn carnival. Maher will saddle up Southport Tycoon in the $1.5 million All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday, seven days… Read More »
Ciaron Maher aims to make an impact at Randwick on Saturday with the return of Jimmysstar from a short break. Although not as grand as Pride Of Jenni’s Queen Elizabeth Stakes win, the Benchmark 100 over 1400 meters is crucial for Jimmysstar’s campaign towards the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap in… Read More »
Tasracing is renewing efforts to ban Tasmania’s top harness racing trainer, Ben Yole, and three associates after a court ruling cleared the way. Named in a damning report by racing expert Ray Murrihy, they have until Thursday to argue against the ban. Tasracing’s CEO, Andrew Jenkins, emphasised the need for… Read More »
It is less than two weeks to the running of $1 million Robert Sangster Stakes at Morphettville on April 27 and the Jason Warren trained mare Benedetta has put her rivals on notice that she will be up and ready for the fight as she looks to put a first… Read More »
Trainer Bjorn Baker will send the five-year-old gelding Overpass out to defend his Quokka title at Ascot on Saturday … and he will also have a useful back-up in the form of Malkovich to support the stable cause. Overpass, a son of Golden Slipper winner Vancouver who already has $5.6… Read More »
