The Winterbottom Stakes barrier draw was something Mitchell Pateman had no control over, but he hopes it plays an ethereal part in This’Ll Testya’s quest for victory in Saturday’s feature race at Ascot. And not just because he thinks a middle alley will assist the seven-year-old mare’s chances. The daughter of… Read More »
Bitofmerit is back at the races on Saturday and although Michael Campbell is confident the four-year-old can give it a shake first-up, the Bunbury trainer is taking a cautious approach. Michael Campbell’s wariness is based on Bitofmerit’s fitness levels following four months out after a double setback in the winter… Read More »
Success in a rich restricted two-year-old race at Caulfield has seen the Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained Kings Consort pay a hefty price. But with the Group 2 Sandown Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield on Saturday run under set-weights, the time may be right for Kings Consort to shine. Kings Consort has only one win… Read More »
Imported galloper Without A Fight has been ruled out of the Group 2 Zipping Classic at Caulfield after Racing Victoria vets ruled him unsuitable to race. As part of RV’s strict veterinary protocols for horses coming to Australia for the Melbourne Spring Carnival, those gallopers must undergo a CT scan of their distal… Read More »
Champion jockey Joao Moreira will make his swansong from Hong Kong racing at next month’s International meeting after handing in his local licence. The decorated hoop and four-time Hong Kong premiership winner has been one of the brightest stars of the Hong Kong riding scene for almost a decade, but hasn’t ridden… Read More »
Trainer Mark Newnham will be as interested as anybody to see how former Hong Kong gelding Sunshine Rising handles his first Australian test at Rosehill. On the one hand, the horse boasts world-class form lines, having claimed the scalp of champion Beauty Generation to win the 2019 Sha Tin Trophy before… Read More »
All roads lead to the Magic Millions for talented mare Me Me Lagarde, but trainers Toby and Trent Edmonds are hopeful she can pick up a race or two along the way. Already a Listed winner of the Gold Edition Plate 12 months ago, Me Me Lagarde will be out to… Read More »
As Sound strives to win a third consecutive Zipping Classic, trainer Mike Moroney has labelled stablemate Chapada as possibly the most frustrating horse he has trained. Moroney is convinced if the Chapada he sees in trackwork at Flemington turns up in Saturday’s Group 2 Zipping Classic (2400m) at Caulfield, he will… Read More »
The Godolphin two-year-old team of James Cummings has hit the ground running in Melbourne. For Sean Keogh, in charge of the Godolphin Melbourne stable, it reminds him an earlier bunch of yearlings that raced in the early two-year-old races of 2020. “The two-year-olds have been having a proper run, similar to the cohort of… Read More »
On the cusp of beginning her next chapter as a broodmare, Enchanted Heart will be given the opportunity to round out her racing career with another stakes win. The former Australian Bloodstock-owned galloper, a Listed winner of the 2021 Takeover Target Stakes, was sold to Yu Long Investments earlier this… Read More »
While one of racing’s great rivalries has officially been brought to an end with Joao Moreira handing in his Hong Kong riding license, Zac Purton continues to push the envelope at the top end of the game … and Wednesday night at Happy Valley saw Purton reach another significant milestone… Read More »
As a rookie in any sport, reaching your first milestone can be important to your confidence and career. In football parlance it could be your first game or first goal. As a cricketer, reaching a century can entrench your position in the team. There are such fine margins between success… Read More »
The stable of Ciaron Maher and David Eustace along with Seymour Bloodstock has been rewarded for their patience with a winning double at Sandown. Zouthur got the ball rolling on Wednesday with his victory in the IVE>Print Maiden (1200m) while Vermentino remains unbeaten following his win in the Ladbrokes Same Race Multi… Read More »
Father-and-son training team Mark and Levi Kavanagh hope their lightly raced three-year-old Midtown Boss can go onto bigger things after a fighting win at Sandown. Midtown Boss took out the Ladbrokes Mates Mode Handicap (1200m) on Wednesday to remain undefeated this campaign. Ridden by Blake Shinn, Midtown Boss ($4.40) scored a half-neck win from… Read More »
Fresh from a successful hit-and-run raid in Hong Kong, champion jockey James Mcdonald was straight back in the winner’s stall at Warwick Farm aboard emerging talent Kovalica. McDonald headed to Sha Tin on Sunday to ride at the key lead-up meeting to next month’s International Race Day and landed himself a… Read More »
Co-trainer David Eustace says Persan has been lacking the X-factor in his bid to get back into winning form. It has been 18 months since Persan last crossed the line in first position but gets another chance on Saturday when he lines up in the Group 2 Zipping Classic (2400m) at Caulfield. Persan has been… Read More »
It was all thumbs up for Brisbane trainer Rob Heathcote as he got the barrier draw he wanted for Rothfire in Saturday’s G1 Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) at Ascot. Rothfire drew a perfect three in Tuesday night’s barrier draw and Heathcote believes it will give champion jockey Damien Oliver with plenty… Read More »
Consistent gelding Dragonstone will back-up in the Listed Starlight Stakes at Rosehill as trainer Mark Newnham looks to replicate a proven formula. The four-year-old flashed home from near-last for an eye-catching third to Athelric in The Warra (1000m) at Kembla Grange last weekend and Newnham confirmed he was on target to go around… Read More »
Few horses improve as eight-year-olds, but an extended spell has Cisco Bay racing in some of the best form of his career, laying the platform for the gelding to chase his first black-type win. Cisco Bay will line up in the Group 3 Festival Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on Saturday following… Read More »
NSW raider Norwegian Bliss will attempt to keep her perfect record intact when she makes her Melbourne debut at Caulfield. And it will be the Nathan Doyle-trained mare’s first outing at stakes level when she runs in the Group 3 Kevin Heffernan Stakes (1400m) on Saturday. Norwegian Bliss is unbeaten in seven starts and… Read More »
