In-form jockey James Orman is clear to maintain his association with Niccanova despite being suspended at Doomben. Orman rode a treble at Thursday’s meeting on Alderman, Paleontologist and Mountbatten but fell foul of stewards for his ride on the latter. He was suspended for six days after pleading guilty to… Read More »
Flemington on Saturday. It will, as it always is, be spectacular, memorable and hopefully profitable. But for one woman, and her horse, it might be out-of-this-world peaking in all those areas. She saddles up a horse going around in race 6 over 1400m. And it’s pretty hard to put one… Read More »
Melbourne Racing Club chairman Peter Le Grand says he will continue to foster relationships with interstate racing bodies including NSW. He was responding to criticism by Racing Victoria chairman Brian Kruger over the MRC’s decision to buy a slot in the 2019 Everest, Australia’s richest race held at Randwick. The… Read More »
In-form Melbourne jockey Jye McNeil has been successful in an appeal against a suspension for his ride in the Chester Manifold Stakes. McNeil rode four winners at last Saturday’s Flemington meeting, including the feature race on Amadeus. McNeil was later found guilty of careless riding aboard Amadeus near the 1000m… Read More »
The Group One Australian Guineas features prominently in trainer Danny O’Brien’s plans for lightly raced colt Banquo, who is set to kick off his campaign over a sprint distance at Flemington. Banquo began his career with New Zealand trainer Stephen Marsh and raced twice in Melbourne as a late-season two-year-old,… Read More »
The new year has brought a fresh resolve to well-credentialled horseman Brad Widdup, who will rely on two horses to showcase his training skills at Rosehill. Widdup had a tumultuous 2019 after his biggest client, high profile owner Damion Flower, was arrested over alleged drug smuggling charges. The setback happened… Read More »
Victorian trainer Grahame Begg filed in an early protest on the $5m All Star Mile voting after his horse had outdated information on its profile. Begg had nominated his horse Galaxy Raider for the $5m All Star Mile at Caulfield in March but as the voting wen’t live on Thursday… Read More »
Top Irish apprentice Oisin Orr has made a lightning visit to Doomben to ride his first Brisbane winner aboard Mantelli. Orr is on a three-month loan to champion Sydney trainer Chris Waller after he was recommended by leading Irish trainer Dermot Weld. It was Orr’s sixth win in Australia since… Read More »
Trainer Gary Portelli understandably has a soft spot for Group-winning colt Time To Reign who is the half-brother to his 2017 Golden Slipper winner She Will Reign. And the Sydney trainer is hoping Time To Reign will be able to measure up in feature sprints this campaign to stamp his… Read More »
Losing two of his best horses to injury within days of one another has been a cruel start to the year for Bjorn Baker but the in-form trainer says the show must go on. Champagne Cuddles, a dual Group winner and four-time Group One placegetter, has been retired after suffering… Read More »
Leading Brisbane trainer Tony Gollan is again a runaway leader in the metropolitan premiership but he hopes to rectify an unusual statistic at Eagle Farm. Gollan already has his seventh straight title wrapped up with 55-1/2 wins, more than double nearest rival Robert Heathcote, but he has not had a… Read More »
Central Queensland jockey Luke Dillion has been suspended for a month after pleading guilty to attempting to manipulate the weighing scales at the Mackay TAB meeting. Stewards opened an inquiry after Dillion, who rode Permafrost in the second race, was seen attempting to manipulate the scales by placing his arm… Read More »
A week after claiming an upset win in the Magic Millions Classic with Away Game, trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace will be keenly watching the return of a filly they hope can develop into a Golden Slipper contender. Cellsabeel resumes in the Iron Jack Handicap (1100m) at Rosehill on… Read More »
Trainer Robert Heathcote is expecting the lightly raced Emerald Kingdom to be in a far better mood when he runs at Eagle Farm than he was at Doomben. Emerald Kingdom has won his past two starts at midweek meetings and will be among the favourites for Saturday’s Canadian Club Plate… Read More »
Mystic Journey is recovering from a setback with next month’s Group One Futurity Stakes now a possibility for the mare’s return ahead of the All-Star Mile. Trainer Adam Trinder told Victorian stewards on Wednesday the defending All-Star Mile champion had a soft tissue infection in her left front limb and… Read More »
Hardy gelding Lota Creek Gold will skip the Ballina Cup to take on open company in Brisbane. Trainer Harold Norman entered Lota Creek Gold for the Ballina Cup on Friday and Saturday’s Roku Gin Open Handicap (1600m) at Eagle Farm. Norman has elected to go with the Brisbane race which… Read More »
Emerging Queensland apprentice Adin Thompson has his strongest book of rides to date as he strives for his first metropolitan Saturday win at Eagle Farm. Thompson was the leading apprentice in Queensland last season and he rode the country circuit with the iconic Birdsville Cup among his victories. His results… Read More »
The chairman of Racing Victoria has hit out at the Melbourne Racing Club’s involvement in the $14 million Everest in Sydney. The MRC, one of three metropolitan racing clubs in Melbourne, struck a deal with the Australian Turf Club for its slot in the 2019 Everest at Randwick on October… Read More »
John O’Shea’s resurgence has continued, with the trainer celebrating two winners at Warwick Farm. The double took O’Shea’s tally to 10 for the year after he began with three winners at Randwick on January 1. O’Shea has steadily re-established himself as an independent trainer after leaving international operation Godolphin in… Read More »
Godolphin trainer James Cummings has decided to wait for the Group Two Australia Stakes for Group One-winning colt Microphone’s return to racing. Three-year-old Microphone was nominated for Saturday’s Listed Kensington Stakes (1000m) at Flemington, in which he would have had to carry 60kg and give weight to all his rivals,… Read More »
