Teo Nugent knows he’s lucky to be even be a part of this year’s Melbourne Cup Carnival, so he wasn’t about to die wondering when the team associated with Interpretation were in need a Melbourne Cup rider. The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained import won his way through to Tuesday’s $8 million… Read More »
Damien Oliver will not know until official scratching time on Tuesday if he will add to his 31 rides in the Melbourne Cup. But the champion jockey remains hopeful the Mike Moroney-trained gelding Alenquer will be able to take his spot on the Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington. The Moroney stable reported on Sunday that… Read More »
Ben Thompson will ride in his second Melbourne Cup on Tuesday where he will get the leg-up on the Matthew Smith trained True Marvel. The lightly-weighted eight-year-old son of Masked Marvel, who will be receiving 8.5kg from the top weight Gold Trip, will be third up on Tuesday, coming into… Read More »
Queensland’s leading rider Jimmy Orman was absent from Eagle Farm on Saturday. Instead, he was giving a masterclass of race-riding at Jebel Ali in the United Arab Emirates after answering the call from trainer Michael Costa to fill in riding duties for the stable for the first couple of meetings… Read More »
Matthew Dunn is confident the inform Cepheus can concede weight to all his rivals and win the $3 million Big Dance (1600m) after drawing barrier one for Tuesday’s feature at Randwick. Having qualified for the race in July when winning the South Grafton Cup carrying 62kg, Cepheus will carry the same weight… Read More »
Star jockey Damian Lane made no attempt to downplay the extent of the dangerous riding encountered in the $10m Golden Eagle on Saturday. Lane was aboard race favourite Amelia’s Jewel who got poleaxed at the 300m which nearly saw the horse fall. The interference was caused when Tyler Schiller’s mount… Read More »
Champion jockey Damien Oliver, is facing uncertainty over his final Melbourne Cup ride as an injury concern looms over his mount just days before Tuesday’s race. Trainer Mike Moroney conveyed to stewards on Sunday morning that his horse Alenquer had displayed symptoms of a stone bruise after completing trackwork. To… Read More »
Matthew Smith will break new ground after 20 years as a trainer when he saddles his first Melbourne Cup runner. Eight-year-old gelding True Marvel will be Smith’s long-awaited debut in Australia’s great race at Flemington on Tuesday. The French-bred galloper may not be the best credentialled galloper in Tuesday’s 3200m contest, but… Read More »
Irish trainer Willie Mullins has a strong Melbourne Cup hand with favourite Vauban and Absurde. It is 30 years since Willie Mullins first had an involvement in the Melbourne Cup. On a round the world trip with a friend, Mullins stopped off in Melbourne to see Vintage Crop win the Cup… Read More »
Mick Price is open minded to the chances of Lastotchka in the Melbourne Cup and recognises the challenge ahead against the likes of Irish hot horse Vauban, Caulfield Cup winner Without A Fight and returning Cup winner Gold Trip. Having been charged with the care of the French galloper towards Tuesday’s 163rd edition… Read More »
From the moment Gerard Larrieu saw Gold Trip, he felt he was a horse who could stamp himself a star, but did not expect it to be in the jurisdiction he has made his name. The son of Outstrip goes in search of history on Tuesday when he strives to… Read More »
Fresh from Group 1 success in the Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington on Saturday, Bjorn Baker has stacked the bases for the feature race in Sydney on Melbourne Cup Day as he prepares to saddle up four runners in the $3 million Big Dance at Randwick. Among them is Iknowastar, who… Read More »
Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Mike Moroney faces a race against time to have longshot Alenquer ready for Tuesday’s Group 1 3200-metre feature with the stable advising Racing Victoria stewards that the gelding suffered a stone bruise after trackwork on Sunday morning. Rated a $61 chance with online bookmakers, Alenquer is set to be Damien… Read More »
Irish trainer Willie Mullins says Vauban is his best chance and possibly the best he will ever have to win the Melbourne Cup. Vauban came up with barrier three in the draw for Tuesday’s Group 1 Handicap over 3200m and has shortened into $3.20, firming from $3.50 with betting sites before the final Melbourne Cup… Read More »
A decision to stretch Wild Planet beyond 1600m for the first time in his career has reaped a big reward, with the veteran defying a distance query to win the $750,000 Rosehill Gold Cup. Notching his first victory for more than three years, eight-year-old Wild Planet ($26) handled the rise to… Read More »
Replacing a world-class jockey on an unknown horse is no easy task but Josh Parr has risen to the occasion, producing a spectacular ride on Japanese raider Obamburumai to triumph in the $10 million Golden Eagle at Rosehill. International superstar Yutaka Take was booked to ride Obamburumai in Saturday’s 1500m feature but was… Read More »
Declan Bates pulled off a contender for ride of the season when he engineered a dazzling Empire Rose Stakes success aboard Pride Of Jenni at Flemington on Saturday. Bates partnered the headstrong mare to an all-the-way win in the $1 million Group 1, which was her first at the highest level. The… Read More »
Bella Nipotina has lifted herself off the canvas to upstage defending titleholder Private Eye and Everest winner Think About It in the $3 million Giga Kick Stakes at Rosehill. Chasing his tenth win in succession, Think About It was sent out an odds-on favourite with bookies but after working hard to get the… Read More »
For the second week in a row, James McDonald has been on the right side of a deceptive photo finish to claim his first win in the Victoria Derby. McDonald got the nose of Romantic Warrior down to win the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley last week and in another head-bobbing finish… Read More »
Ozzmosis carried Rachel King to a historic win in Saturday’s $2 million Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington, in the process announcing himself one of the hottest stud prospects in the country. The Bjorn Baker-trained colt scored a dashing win in the most significant race on the calendar for three-year-olds on… Read More »
