Once Uncommon James had recovered from a tough Caulfield run, Brisbane trainers Steven O’Dea and Matthew Hoysted had no hesitation in sticking to their original plans. When commencing the campaign of Uncommon James last month, the trainers had picked out the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday as the sprinter’s Grand Final. Uncommon James finished third to Imperatriz… Read More »
The final two horses to be inspected by Racing Victoria stewards ahead of tomorrows WFA Cox Plate have been passed fit to race. Racing Victoria stewards inspected 10 of the 12 horses yesterday in which all were passed fit to race with the remaining two horses Romantic Warrior and Victoria… Read More »
Damien Oliver notes some similarities between his first Cox Plate winner and his last ride in Australia’s weight-for-age championship at Moonee Valley. Australian racing Hall Of Fame Legend Bart Cummings supplied Dane Ripper to give Oliver the first of his two Cox Plate victories and it will be Edward Cummings, the grandson of… Read More »
A wide gate cruelled the chances of General Salute in the Golden Rose, but if he can run up to his previous form, connections are optimistic he can bounce back at Randwick. The colt was trapped three-deep and in the second half of the field in last months Group 1 feature… Read More »
Chris Waller knows what is takes to win the Cox Plate having trained Winx to win Australia’s best race on four consecutive occasions. But for something different this year, Waller will saddle his first three-year-old runner in the 2040m Group 1 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley on Saturday. Militarize, already a triple… Read More »
One of the highly-fancied contenders for the 2023 Melbourne Cup, Francesco Guardi, will no longer participate in the Spring Carnival. The decision was officially confirmed by Racing Victoria on Friday, following discussions within the Chris Waller stable. Francesco Guardi’s campaign this season had been marked by a series of unimpressive… Read More »
In the absence of John Allen, jockey Jamie Mott was presented with the opportunity to partner with My Oberon for the forthcoming Cox Plate. The current odds of $61 with online bookmakers for My Oberon do not align with Mott’s assessment of the horse’s capabilities. My Oberon’s recent performance in… Read More »
Even James Cummings seems a little surprised that Tom Kitten has put together a body of work that has him the short-priced favourite for Saturday’s Spring Champion Stakes at Randwick. That he is such a strong chance in a 2000-metre Group 1 doesn’t make a great deal of sense when you look… Read More »
John Sargent says Glad You Think So is “as good as I can get him” ahead of his Group 1 bid in the Spring Champion Stakes at Randwick. The progressive three-year-old passed an important class test when a close fifth in the Gloaming Stakes (1800m) last start, his first taste of stakes… Read More »
The 2023 Cox Plate is the highlight race taking place at Moonee Valley on the afternoon of Saturday, October 28th. This prestigious Weight for Age event spans a distance of 2040 meters and offers a whopping $5,000,000 in prize money. To get all the latest details about the upcoming Cox… Read More »
Jockey Pat Carbery is no stranger to Belgravia Stakes (1200m) success and wants to carry that momentum into Saturday’s Listed contest at Ascot. Pat Carbery won last year’s Belgravia Stakes with classy mare Amelia’s Jewel and before that rode Miss Solis (2013) and Megatic (2008) to respective wins. The pressure for… Read More »
Queensland trainer Tony Gollan says Antino is at the peak of his powers as he heads to a Stakes race at Moonee Valley. Antino will be fourth-up when he lines up in the Group 2 Crystal Mile (1600m) on Saturday. The Queensland galloper has raced exclusively in Melbourne this campaign, registering a… Read More »
Apprentice Jett Stanley is confident he can overcome an untimely shoulder injury in time to chase his first stakes win at Randwick. The young rider had a scare on Thursday morning when a horse reared and went over on him in the barrier stalls at Warwick Farm. Having dusted himself off,… Read More »
Alligator Blood may be a seven-year-old, but his co-trainer Gai Waterhouse says the gelding is finally coming of age. About to have his 34th race start and chase a 16th career win in Saturday’s Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley, Waterhouse is taken with the gelding. “He’s so big. When you see him, his… Read More »
Can The Inferno upset the odds-on favourite Imperatriz in the Manikato Stakes, trainer Cliff Brown doubts it. But the Mornington-based trainer heads to Moonee Valley on Saturday for the Group 1 1200m sprint confident The Inferno is in great order. “She’s a great mare and her runs have been fantastic, but he’s in great order,” Brown said. A former… Read More »
Annabel Neasham says she is still haunted by the race morning scratching of Zaaki from the Cox Plate two years ago. Still in the infancy of her training career, Neasham had the race favourite for the 2021 Cox Plate but had to withdraw Zaaki from the Group 1 race because of an elevated temperature. Two weeks later, Zaaki… Read More »
Tulloch Lodge stablemates Raf Attack and Ganbare have had a reversal of fortunes in the Spring Champion Stakes barrier draw and Adrian Bott expects it to better suit the racing styles of both colts. Raf Attack ran his rivals ragged when leading throughout from a low draw in the Gloaming Stakes (1800m) last… Read More »
Grahame Begg is out for redemption after Lunar Flare was withdrawn from last year’s Melbourne Cup due to a bruised heel with the mare set to start favourite in Friday night’s Group 2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m). Lunar Flare, who has drawn barrier 3 for Friday night’s feature, won the… Read More »
A month into his return to riding, Tommy Berry is back in the groove, but it is with a fresh perspective and desire. Having spent eight months on the sidelines over improper dealings with a punter, Berry returned to the saddle last month and wasted little time making his mark. Leading… Read More »
Kerrin McEvoy will bid for a clean sweep in the $2 million The Invitation when he links with talented mare Espiona for the first time at Randwick. McEvoy has won both editions of the rich feature, capturing the inaugural running aboard Icebath in 2021 before backing it up with victory on… Read More »
