The Melbourne Cup was won, again, by a class runner of the field, Nature Strip had his colours lowered again and Zaaki bounced back into the winners list. All that and more in this weeks edition of ‘The Good, The Bad and The Ugly’. KEY NEWS: Gold Trip Wins Melbourne… Read More »
Many doubted that the Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou-trained gelding Ellsberg ($3.30F) could see out the 1800m of the $2 million Five Diamonds at Rosehill Gardens today, but the five-year-old proved too strong to hold off Sibaaq ($16) by a short head with Laws Of Indices ($3.80) a length and a quarter back in… Read More »
Trainer Annabel Neasham did not want to die wondering as she set about winning the Champions Stakes at Flemington. The Group 1 race, previously known as the Mackinnon Stakes, was renamed as part of Champions Day to conclude the Melbourne Cup Carnival. Saturday’s contest did not disappoint as Zaaki went back-to-back… Read More »
The Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Sheeza Belter ($5) has repaid supporters who stuck following a luckless effort in The Invitation at Randwick two weeks ago. The Gold Standard filly has saluted in the Group 2 Hot Danish Stakes at Rosehill running down early leader Lavish Girl ($7.50) by a long neck, with… Read More »
A drop back in trip has provided Alligator Blood a second Group 1 win of the Melbourne Spring Carnival. Leading throughout over the 1600m of the Champions Mile at Flemington on Saturday, Alligator Blood confirmed his status as one of Australia’s best milers. A winner of the Group 1 Australian… Read More »
Roch ‘N’ Horse has scored another knock blow in a feature sprint race at Flemington taking out the Group 1 Champions Sprint. The Mike Moroney-trained mare won the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap over the same course and distance as Saturday’s 1200m sprint earlier in the year. This time there was no $101 on offer as Roch… Read More »
After missing the jump by two lengths in the $1 million Golden Gift at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday, jockey Hugh Bowman had to reset his race plans for exciting Godolphin two-year-old colt Barber ($5). The Exceed And Excel progeny was able to run down the 14 runner field late, proving too strong… Read More »
Chris Waller and the large team of owners of import Soulcombe hope to be back at Flemington in 12 months’ time for a shot at the Melbourne Cup. Soulcombe, a former member of the William Haggas team in the UK, scored an impressive Australian debut taking out the Group 3 Queen’s Cup (2600m) on Saturday. TAB has… Read More »
The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) has confirmed that Hugh Bowman will take up a three-month riding contract in Hong Kong. An official release by the HKJC reads (in part): ‘The Committee, by way of written resolution, resolved to grant a Club Jockey’s licence to Hugh Bowman for the period… Read More »
Having originally considered taking I’m Thunderstruck back in trip after his Cox Plate placing, I’m Thunderstruck will attempt to register a first against Anamoe at Flemington. The pair has met on two occasions with Anamoe holding 2-0 lead, but trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr are hoping to turn that around in the Group 1 Champions… Read More »
The Champions Mile has undergone a transformation that just may give Godolphin galloper Cascadian his chance to finally win a feature Group 1 1600m race at Flemington. Previously a handicap and known as the Cantala Stakes and run on the opening day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival, the race has been rebadged as the Champions Mile, shifted to the final… Read More »
An opportunity to match the deeds of one of Perth’s most popular and successful mares is added incentive for Massimo in the WAROA- Lee Steere Stakes (1400m) at Ascot on Saturday. Massimo won the Lee Steere Stakes last year and if successful for a second time on the weekend he joins… Read More »
The established champion Nature Strip and heir apparent Giga Kick are set for a rematch when they meet at Flemington. Giga Kick kept his unbeaten record intact when he won The Everest at Randwick last month to give his trainer Clayton Douglas his biggest success and in the process relegate Nature Strip into fourth position. The pair… Read More »
A spring that hasn’t gone to script could still end on a high note for Jamaea when she gets back on a firm track in the Hot Danish Stakes at Rosehill. The mare was scratched from the Manikato Stakes when the Moonee Valley surface was downgraded to heavy, resulting in co-trainerLuke… Read More »
A big spring could be about to get even bigger for Annabel Neasham, who has feature race chances in two states on Saturday including a pair of in-form horses in the Five Diamonds. In just her third season as a trainer, Neasham has been represented in many of the major… Read More »
Ascot trainer Dan Morton will roll the dice and won’t start his star gelding Alaskan God in the R.J.Peters Stakes (1500m), leaving a berth in the Railway Stakes (1600m) in slight jeopardy. There is some concern Alaskan God’s rating of 92 is too low to get into the Railway Stakes,… Read More »
Consistent campaigner Kirwan’s Lane has captured his second feature mile race at Hawkesbury this year, lifting late to run down local hope Momack in the Listed Ladies Day Cup. Backed in to start an odds-on favourite, the John O’Shea-trained gelding gave favourite backers a few anxious moments when he was slow to… Read More »
Another Cummings has added his name to the honour roll of the Kennedy Oaks winners when She’s Extreme took out the Classic race for three-year-old fillies at Flemington. Anthony Cummings joins his grandfather Jim, father Bart and son James as a winner of the Group 1 race after he trained She’s Extreme to win the 2500m showpiece on Thursday. With Tommy Berry aboard,… Read More »
Joyful Fortune has continued his affinity with the Flemington straight with and impressive victory in the Century Stakes. A former Hong Kong galloper who was restricted to straight track racing before returning to Australia with knee problems, scored in a benchmark 70 race at Flemington over 1100m back in September. That 4-¼… Read More »
Kris Lees and Hugh Bowman have combined for another ‘black type’ success in Melbourne with Razeta scoring at Flemington. Razeta showed a blistering turn of foot to take out the Listed Desirable Stakes (1400m) on Thursday. Lees and Bowman first teamed together to claim the VRC Oaks with Samantha Miss in 2008 which also… Read More »
