After preparing for their comebacks in Sydney, Hawkes Racing will unveil a couple of their three-year-olds in stakes races at Caulfield. Dual winner Semillion runs in the Group 3 Vain Stakes (1100m) for colts and geldings on Saturday while $900,000 yearling purchase Lomandra commences her career in the Group 3 Quezette Stakes (1100m). Wayne Hawkes who runs… Read More »
Golden Slipper winner Fireburn will be in illustrious company when she makes her first public appearance of the new season in a Rosehill barrier trial. The filly will step out in a 900m course proper heat on Friday that boasts star galloper Zaaki, Group 1 winners Fangirl and Hinged, and classy sprinter Overpass. Fireburn’s… Read More »
A bold return by the aptly named Hope In Your Heart would provide the perfect tonic for Kerry Parker as stable darling Think It Over continues his treatment for a tendon injury. The Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner remains at the trainer’s Kembla Grange stables, receiving daily care for the issue that has ruled… Read More »
Trainer Bruce Kay has urged punters not to overlook Sheikh It as he aims for his first success in the XXXX Broome Cup (2200m) on Saturday. Kay had his first crack at winning the Broome Cup last year, but came up short when Bulletson finished a fair margin of Staaden in… Read More »
Nick Smart is stepping away from training. Smart confirmed his decision not to renew his training license, telling Racing.com that the financial pressures of maintaining his training business had been difficult to manage. “It hasn’t been easy,” Smart said. “It’s been a gradual downturn – financially I’ve been going backwards… Read More »
Avila, a four-year-old unraced daughter of Makybe Diva, has been bought for $125,000 out of the recent Inglis Digital Catalogue. Avila, who is by Written Tycoon, was purchased by John Wheeler, who told Racing.com that the opportunity to buy into the Makybe Diva family was one that was too good… Read More »
Three highly regarded runners from the Steven O’Dea and Matthew Hoysted training partnership … Scallopini, Uncommon James and She’sgottheboom, … will fly the flag for Queensland at the upcoming Caulfield meeting and their performances on Saturday will determine where they will go next as the temperature starts to warm up… Read More »
Two Spring Carnival hopes of the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr stable have taken park in an exhibition gallop between races at Sandown. I’m Thunderstruck (Jye McNeil) and Illation (Jamie Kah) worked over 1200m, quickening up over the final 600m as they prepare for their racetrack returns at Caulfield… Read More »
Mark Newnham knows better than most what type of horse it takes to win a Spring Champion Stakes and he believes Randwick Kensington victor Matcha Latte fits the bill. Newnham has won the Group 1 three-year-old feature twice in the past four years with Maid Of Heaven (2018) and Shadow Hero (2019) and… Read More »
‘Proper horse’. They were the two words Jamie Kah whispered to James Cummings’ Melbourne representative Sean Keogh after the impressive win of Aft Cabin at Sandown on Wednesday. Aft Cabin demoralised his opposition in taking out the Tile Importer Plate (1400m) with a brilliant turn of foot, suggesting better wins… Read More »
The Rosebud has taken on a different complexion after trainer Kacy Fogden decided to bypass the Listed sprint with Golden Slipper runner-up Best Of Bordeaux. While the colt was widely expected to resume at Rosehill on Saturday, Fogden had flagged concerns over his 61kg top weight earlier in the week and… Read More »
The recent prizemoney boosts announced for the Sydney spring carnival could entice connections of Golden Slipper placegetter Coolangatta to head north. The filly will kick off her campaign in Victoria where co-trainer Ciaron Maher has identified the Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley on September 23 as an ideal… Read More »
An explosive piece of work at Cranbourne on Tuesday has the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr stable brimming with confidence about the upcoming preparation of Lombardo. The last start Group 1 winner of The Goodwood (1200m) at Morphettville in May, could not be held slow enough in his work according… Read More »
Trainer Clinton Mcdonald has praised Racing NSW for their announcement last week of a $6 million bonus enticing the state’s sprinters to remain at home. McDonald is eyeing off a lucrative campaign with his sprinter Star Patrol who is set to resume at Caulfield at the end of the month…. Read More »
Embattled racehorse owner Allan Endresz likes to stay on the front foot, but he once again finds himself having to try to weave and bob as he tries to slip the body blows thrown by Racing Victoria whose authority currently continues to block the participation of horses in the upcoming… Read More »
Jim Taylor is looking forward to the challenge of preparing talented mare Searchin’ Roc’s. The four-year-old has transferred to his care from David Harrison and Taylor is excited by the challenge ahead. “I probably wouldn’t have taken her because she’s a bad barrier horse, but I don’t mind a challenge,”… Read More »
Grahame Begg has described the Cranbourne trial of Passive Aggressive as outstanding as the unbeaten mare ran away from some quality opposition on Tuesday. Trialling in preparation for her return in the Group 3 Cockram Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on August 27, Passive Aggressive was under a tight rein in… Read More »
Saturday’s $200,000 Vain Stakes is likely to determine whether valuable colt Cannonball heads towards the race connections bought him with the dream of winning. Anthony Freedman is using the 1100-metre Group 3 and a potential clash with the likes of Semillion, Alpha One, Giga Kick and Millane to determine whether the spring’s sprinting Grand… Read More »
Monday morning jumpouts on the famed Flemington straight course are something of a rarity and Anthony Freedman wasn’t letting the opportunity slip with Doull. An 800-metre hit-out was the most serious step yet in what could be an exclusively straight-track campaign for the Coolmore Stud Stakes favourite. The son of Snitzel,… Read More »
Artorius’s European campaign ended with another frustrating outing but it did little to diminish Anthony Freedman’s belief that the four-year-old has another big win in him. As such, plans will soon be in place to work out which spring feature is the most suitable option for last year’s Blue Diamond… Read More »
