Jockey Ben Melham admitted to a few nervous moments before guiding Godolphin galloper Inhibitions to victory at Moonee Valley. Sent out the $2.60 Unibet favourite, Melham had to pull out all stops on the Godolphin filly to land the Ladbroke It! Plate (1200m) on Saturday. “It is hard to pick… Read More »
Track conditions will not be any disadvantage as the career of Scentify advances after scoring a first-up win at Moonee Valley. A debut winner at Warrnambool on an extremely heavy track during the May Carnival, The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Scentify returned on a Good 4 track on Saturday to win the Membership On Sale Plate… Read More »
Wineglass Bay has dispelled any concerns Chris Waller might have had over his will to win with a hard-fought Rosehill victory, putting himself on a path towards bigger spring races. While the $3 boombet favourite’s long head margin over the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Too Much Caviar ($4.80) in Saturday’s Bankstown… Read More »
The name Elafella is well known to the 8000 people on course watching the recent Broome Cup but the track champion wasn’t the only winner of the day. At the Fashions on the Field stage another name was called out again and again during the parade: Bob’s Shoe Store. The… Read More »
Acromantula represents the Pearce stable in the Listed Carlyon Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday and the confidence levels are high that their speedy sprinter has made improvement from a top Melbourne debut. Acromantula returns to Moonee Valley for the second time in a fortnight after giving supporters a bold… Read More »
Exciting galloper Costazita makes his keenly anticipated return to racing in tomorrow’s Kerry Andersen Hall Of Fame Handicap (1200m) at Belmont Park The four-year-old made a stylish debut at Ascot last December and has been patiently handled by trainer Trevor Andrews ahead of his new campaign. Costazita produced an encouraging 1000m trial… Read More »
Cranbourne-based trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young would not have a more consistent galloper than Brayden Star in their stable. Since arriving from England last year, Brayden Star has raced on seven occasions, registering three wins and four placings. But the time is nearing where Brayden Star has to take the next step and as part… Read More »
Small fields and Godolphin colt Amur go hand-and-hand at Moonee Valley. The James Cummings-trained Amur is unbeaten in two starts at The Valley and kicks off his three-year-old campaign in the Membership On Sale Plate (1200m) on Saturday. Amur won his first two starts over Saturday’s course and distance, scoring on debut against five opponents… Read More »
Connections of lightly raced colt General Salute hope to get a clearer gauge on where he fits into the spring carnival picture after he takes on a highly credentialled field of three-year-olds in the San Domenico Stakes. By Russian Revolution, General Salute is a half-brother to 2021 Villiers Stakes winner Brutality and… Read More »
James Cummings will play the long game with talented colt Tom Kitten this spring as he heads towards a Group One, middle-distance target. The Godolphin three-year-old underlined his potential with a promising juvenile campaign, hitting his straps once he extended to 1600m with a victory in the Listed Fernhill Mile and an… Read More »
West Australian trainers Daniel and Ben Pearce headed to Melbourne with a plan of capturing an early season Stakes race at Moonee Valley. And after the sprinter’s first start in Melbourne earlier in the month, the brothers are confident they have Acromantula in peak condition for his tilt at the Listed Carlyon Stakes… Read More »
In a thrilling showcase of Everest contenders, this morning’s trial at Randwick over 850m did not disappoint. Alcohol Free, trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, narrowly clinched victory, getting her nose down right on the finish line. Following closely behind were I Am Me and Lost And Running, both… Read More »
England-based trainer Andrew Balding has fond memories of Flemington and he is hoping his emerging stayer Scampi can set him on a path to Melbourne once again after the Ebor Handicap at York on Saturday. Balding achieved a career highlight in 2013 when be brought Side Glance to Australia in… Read More »
Desert Hero could be the first Royal runner in the Melbourne Cup since Arabian Story finished sixth in 1997. The William Haggas-trained three-year-old has been touted as a possible candidate for the Melbourne Cup, following a run in the UK’s final and oldest Classic, the St Leger at Doncaster on 16… Read More »
New Zealand conditioner Andrew Forsman will get a better gauge as to the spring fortunes of Riproar after the gelding runs at Moonee Valley. A half-brother to Mr Maestro, Riproar runs in the Corporate Membership On Sale Plate (1500m) on Saturday as Forsman looks to lock in a spring campaign for the three-year-old. Mr Maestro ran fourth in… Read More »
Two weeks ago, Gerald Ryan headed to the races optimistic that superbly bred mare Call Di could kick off her campaign with a win – until he saw her in the parade ring. Usually calm and relaxed, the John Singleton-owned daughter of superstars Frankel and Samantha Miss went to pieces, and so… Read More »
Randwick is set to host another key barrier trial session on Friday, headlined by the clash of a quintet of Everest hopefuls. Six horses have accepted for Friday’s opening 850m heat on the Kensington track and five of those – Lost And Running, Alcohol Free, I Am Me, Private Eye and… Read More »
Phanta has given co-trainers Chris and Michael Gangemi plenty to cheer about after collecting back-to-back Listed victories. Phanta claimed his first stakes success in the Bolton Sprint (1200m) and followed up in the Belmont Newmarket (1200m) a fortnight later. Hopes for a feature race hat trick rests in the Idyllic Prince Stakes… Read More »
Trainers Robbie Griffiths and Mathew de Kock are planning a Stakes race at Flemington for Najem Suhail, but first he has a date at Moonee Valley. And that date if successful could lead the sprinter to bigger assignments later in the spring. Najem Suhail heads to the Dr Sheahan Plate (1200m) on… Read More »
Luck and tempo will dictate the chances of Gary Portelli coming away with a Group Three win in the Up And Coming Stakes after both his runners landed wide draws. Last start winner Kintyre came up with barrier 11 of 12, while Encap fared marginally better with gate nine. Portelli says it has… Read More »
