Forty years after winning his first Hobartville Stakes with Sir Dapper, octogenarian Les Bridge has captured his second, this time with the horse he believes might be the heir apparent to his Everest winner Classique Legend. Celestial Legend ($8.50) unleashed a withering finish from midfield to triumph in Saturday’s three-year-old feature, the… Read More »
It wasn’t with the member of their stable most expected, but Shane and Cassie Oxlade celebrated their maiden Group 1 success after Queman led home a longshot trifecta in Saturday’s Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield. The Strathalbyn five-year-old, who started $17, nosed out $11 chance Hypothetical in a race that strayed from the script with… Read More »
Hayasugi proved herself Melbourne’s best two-year-old with a stylish win in the Blue Diamond Stakes completing a rare treble in the process. The Clinton Mcdonald -trained daughter of Royal Meeting joined Midnight Fever, back in 1987, as the only filly to complete the Blue Diamond Series, comprising the Preview, Prelude and Saturday’s feature… Read More »
Chris Waller might have got it wrong in trying to mould Zougotcha into a sprinter, but he has wasted no time putting her back on the right path. The classy mare made a brilliant return to win the Millie Fox Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill, stalking leader and $2.35 betting site favourite Lady… Read More »
In another reminder of why he has been Sydney’s champion trainer for more than a decade, Chris Waller has produced More Felons first-up off a Melbourne Cup campaign to win the Listed Parramatta Cup. In just his second preparation for Waller, the import pinched runs along the inside and dived late to… Read More »
Golden Slipper favourite Storm Boy might be waiting until next week to serve a reminder of his talents, but two of his stablemates have done their Slipper chances no harm with outstanding performances at Rosehill. Straight Charge ($2.45 fav) turned the tables on Breeders’ Plate conqueror Espionage ($2.80) to dazzle in Saturday’s Silver… Read More »
Trainer Grahame Begg says he may have to look interstate with Maharba after the gelding has his first-up run at Caulfield. Maharba runs in the Group 3 Zeditave Stakes (1200m) on Saturday, a race that Begg said was not an ideal starting point for the three-year-old. Begg would have preferred an 1100m race… Read More »
Kris Lees began the week with two very different options for Brudenell and he has opted for the bolder of them, confirming the gelding will take his place in the Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield. Brudenell was also paid up for a benchmark 94 contest in Sydney but following careful deliberation, and a… Read More »
James Cummings and the Godolphin team has elected to keep Pericles to a shorter trip with the prospect of securing an All-Star Mile berth. Pericles had the option of stepping up to 1800m to run in the Group 2 Peter Young Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday but instead will chase Group 1… Read More »
Bodyguard has failed a stringent pre-race veterinary inspection and has been scratched from the Blue Diamond Stakes. The Peter and Paul Snowden-trained colt had been one of the top fancies for the Group 1 race over 1200m at Caulfield on Saturday. Racing Victoria veterinarians inspected all 18 two-year-olds over Thursday and… Read More »
The Blue Diamond Stakes is a race that Lindsay Park has chased since its inception in 1971. In its more than 50-year history, Lindsay Park has won the race on 10 occasions, starting with Colin Hayes who won Melbourne’s premier two-year-old race three times before his son David took over as… Read More »
Cejay Graham had a big smile on her face, and it had nothing to do with her on-going run of success which saw her reel in yet another two metropolitan doubles at Eagle Farm and Ipswich over the last seven days. Graham had received the news that an extension to… Read More »
Talented colt Celestial Legend will extend beyond 1200 metres for the first time in the Hobartville Stakes, but trainer Les Bridge is wary the three-year-old may already want further. A son of 2013 ATC Australian Derby winner Dundeel, Celestial Legend is bred to appreciate at least a mile and while sharp as… Read More »
Talented stayer Dunkel, boasting an impressive record of seven wins from 10 starts, gears up for a busy racing period starting at Caulfield on Saturday, with a guaranteed Melbourne Cup 2024 start in sight if all goes as planned. Trainer Patrick Payne has carefully managed Dunkel’s preparation, keeping him in… Read More »
After a hiatus that included retirement, nine-year-old Skelm is poised for a triumphant return to The Valley, aiming to replicate his Torney Cup victory from two years ago. Trainer Terry Kelly expressed optimism about Skelm’s form, hinting at a potential Adelaide Cup campaign if the gelding delivers a strong performance… Read More »
A pair of stablemates at double-figure odds could be the knockout runners in the Listed Parramatta Cup with their trainer not dismissing the winning chances of either horse. Kris Lees will saddle up two-time Group winner Kalapour ($15) and Almania ($14) in Saturday’s 1900-metre feature and he can make a case for both…. Read More »
John Camilleri, renowned breeder of legendary mare Winx, has acquired a slot in the prestigious $20 million The Everest. Taking over from Aquis, Camilleri’s Fairway Thoroughbreds adds another dimension to the elite sprinting event. Camilleri’s decision comes amid the resurgence of Sunshine In Paris, a talented mare trained by Annabel… Read More »
Peter and Paul Snowden will chase a fourth Blue Diamond Stakes win with three acceptors in Melbourne’s premier juvenile race. However, one of their runners Bodyguard, must pass a fitness examination on Friday to run in the Group 1 race at Caulfield on Saturday after being deemed lame in a Racing Victoria veterinary… Read More »
With his maiden win out of the way, Ducasse returns to the black-type arena at Rosehill and trainer Michael Freedman is anticipating the colt will do so with newfound confidence. The three-year-old will face a rematch with several of his spring adversaries in Saturday’s Hobartville Stakes (1400m), having earned a recall to… Read More »
In his first public appearance of the year, star colt Ozzmosis has posted an encouraging barrier trial win at Randwick as he moves a step closer to his scheduled return in the Group 1 The Galaxy. The Coolmore Stud Stakes winner sat outside leader Athelric before getting the better of him in… Read More »
