There has been a major development in the Darren Weir case with serious charges being dropped. As reported on Racing.com, conspiracy charges pertaining to allegations that Weir and Jarrod McLean had conspired to cheat and defraud Racing Victoria back in 2018, by adopting training methods on certain horses which were… Read More »
Although the final field for the 2022 Melbourne Cup won’t be released until this afternoon after the running of the Lexus Archer Stakes is run at Flemington although we have a very good guide as to who the 23 other horses are in the race, pending anymore withdrawals. The casualty… Read More »
Life is good for trainer David Vandyke. There is just no downside to his position of having runners in both the $10 million Golden Eagle and the $3 million Nature Strip Stakes, which are carded as consecutive races at Rosehill card on Saturday. Fair to say though that, win lose… Read More »
Leading trainer Simon Miller says he’s in awe of unbeaten filly Amelia’s Jewel, as she continues her preparations for Tuesday’s TABtouch-Burgess Queen Stakes (1400m) at Ascot. The filly finished powerfully to beat Man Crush and Snowdome in last week’s Drummond Golf-Belgravia Stakes and maintain her perfect record. Miller said he… Read More »
The Lindsay Park-trained Makram is the latest casualty from the Melbourne Cup. News of Makram’s withdrawal comes hours after the second favourite for the 2022 Melbourne Cup, Loft, was withdrawn with a tendon injury leaving James McDonald without a Cup ride. Racing Victoria vets and the international imaging panel that reviewed… Read More »
Having secured a stakes win for her future career as a broodmare, Lindsay Park would like to top that by claiming a Group 1 win with Excelida. The Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on Saturday would look good on the resume of the Ben and J D Hayes-trained mare who is in… Read More »
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Coolangatta has recovered from her terrifying ordeal at Moonee Valley and is ready for a Group 1 assignment at Flemington. And Eustace believes the filly is at a ‘big price’ to win the Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) on Saturday. Coolangatta missed running in the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee… Read More »
Godolphin trainer James Cummings is expecting the big, flat track at Flemington to suit Pericles when he lines up in the Victoria Derby. Pericles will be having only his fourth race start when he fronts up for the gruelling 2500m trip in Saturday’s Group 1 contest for three-year-olds. That is in stark… Read More »
Melbourne Cup second favourite Loft has been scratched from the Melbourne Cup with a tendon injury. Racing Victoria stewards said the stayer had failed its veterinary inspection prior to being eligible to accept for Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup. All 32 horses remaining in the Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington underwent a veterinary… Read More »
It is said that good barriers win races and if that rings true, it is little wonder Tommy Berry is yet to taste success in the Golden Eagle. The top jockey hasn’t missed the race since its inception in 2019 but each year, his mount has drawn one of the widest… Read More »
John O’Shea is at a stage of his life and career where he has come to accept the highs and lows of racing. While he was bitterly disappointed when Lost And Running had to be scratched from the $15 million The Everest on race morning, he took it on the chin, even… Read More »
Colin Webster is concerned by Trix Of The Trade’s wide gate in Saturday’s Group 3 Asian Beau Stakes (1400m), with the exciting four-year-old drawing barrier 18. The experienced Ascot trainer says Trix Of The Trade will need to replicate last fortnight’s run when from a wide draw he had to be… Read More »
The Fields have been released for Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup day apart from the feature race itself with the final field to be finalised after the running of Saturday’s Lexus Archer Stakes. As we have come to expect on Melbourne Cup day the fields are big and even with lots of… Read More »
Bendigo Cup winner High Emocean has escaped a rehandicap for the Melbourne Cup and remains outside the safety limit of 24 runners. The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace -trained mare is on the limit weight of 50kg for the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on Tuesday. Victory in Wednesday’s Group 3 Bendigo Cup (2400m)… Read More »
James Ferguson gathered significant intelligence on previous trips from the UK when working with Godolphin that he hopes will lead to success in the Melbourne Cup. Now training in his own right, Ferguson travelled to the Melbourne Spring Carnival with a number of Charlie Appleby’s team when they won the Geelong, Bendigo and Sandown Cups and Queen… Read More »
Julius Sandhu does not let nerves get the better of him, but he admits he was on edge when Lofty Strike made his return to racing at Caulfield. After having his two-year-old season cut short by Racing Victoria vets on the eve of the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes, Lofty Strike pleased Sandhu with his third-place… Read More »
South Australian-based jockey Barend Vorster is making a rare trip across the border to ride in a Group 1 race for his old boss. Vorster rides Belle Plaisir in the Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on Saturday for Tony and Calvin McEvoy. Tony McEvoy was instrumental in luring Vorster from Singapore to become his stable rider in… Read More »
Tommy Berry and Masked Crusader have had an on-and-off again relationship, but they will reunite in the $3 million Nature Strip Stakes at Rosehill on a mission to resolve some unfinished business. Berry rode the now six-year-old in his first race start in 2019 when he was beaten in a… Read More »
Andrew Forsman has been associated with many Derby winners in his time as travelling foreman for Murray Baker and when in a training partnership with the New Zealand conditioner. It was 12 years ago that Forsman was in Melbourne overseeing the preparation of Lion Tamer who won the Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) for… Read More »
La Crique does not quite hold the lofty rating of Melody Belle but she is well-positioned to emulate the 14-time Group 1 winner and claim Saturday’s Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) at Flemington. That’s the belief of Racing And Sports senior handicapper Adam Blencowe, who said La Crique repeating her peak rating would… Read More »
