Top jockey Brenton Avdulla was fined $4000 when he signalled with 50m to go for Sheâs Extreme to âcome on, catch upâ when his mount Fireburn thrashed her in the Gr 1 Siresâ two weeks ago. Many thought it an unfair fine as there was no malice involved, no chance… Read More »
Jockey Blaike Mcdougall said that a win at the highest level beckons after the Lindsey Smith-trained In The Boat scored impressively in the inaugural running on $500,000 The Country Discovery (1100m) at Sale racecourse. In this feature event on the first thoroughbred meeting ever held in Victoria on Good Friday, In The… Read More »
Fireburn has stamped herself as the season’s dominant two-year-old, capping her rise with breathtaking wins in the Golden Slipper (1200m) and Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) and she is an odds-on favourite to add the Champagne Stakes (1600m) to her already bulging resume. After finishing runner-up to the Gary Portelli-trained filly in the… Read More »
A return to weight-for-age conditions and the promise of a solid tempo could prove an ideal formula for Cascadian to return to the Group 1 winner’s stall at Randwick. Last year’s Doncaster Mile winner finished ninth in his attempt to defend his title in the feature handicap last start, settling… Read More »
Matthew Smith is hoping the decision to take a patient approach with promising filly Festival Dancer can help her deliver a Group 1 win this season. The three-year-old resumes in the James H B Carr Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday as a steppingstone towards a winter campaign in Brisbane where… Read More »
Top trainer Trevor Andrews hopes his decision to sidestep Perth’s premier two-year-old race with All The King’s Men a fortnight back can pay off at Ascot on Saturday. After he bypassed a meeting with boom filly Amelia’s Jewel in the G2 Karrakatta Plate (1200m), All The King’s Men lines up in the… Read More »
The unprecedented run of wet weather has played havoc with Count De Rupee’s autumn campaign, but co-trainer Luke Price is optimistic the horse is ready to rebound in the Hall Mark Stakes at Randwick. The four-year-old finished out of the placings in the Newmarket Handicap at Flemington and again in the… Read More »
Sydney’s sodden autumn has thwarted the campaigns of many horses, but Shane Nichols considers himself fortunate with Streets Of Avalon. The Mornington trainer wanted to have a crack at the $600,000 Group 1 All Aged Stakes (1400m) with the seven-year-old only to be deterred by another wet track at Randwick…. Read More »
On the cusp of capturing a slice of triple crown history, Gary Portelli admits he came into the autumn thinking he might have the horse to clean-sweep the two-year-old features. He was a little bit right and a little bit wrong. Portelli’s juvenile triple crown aspirations were for Breeders’ Plate winner… Read More »
In what has been a stop-start autumn for Mo’Unga, the All Aged Stakes is shaping as a perfect campaign reboot, provided the Randwick track continues to dry out. The four-year-old missed a scheduled start in the George Ryder Stakes due to an elevated temperature and Saturday’s feature will be his… Read More »
The strength of Friday’s The Country Discovery has slightly dented Nick Ryan’s confidence with Express Pass, but two factors give him heart that his top sprinter can win the $500,000 event. One is the way the marbles fell at the barrier draw for the main event on Victoria’s maiden Good… Read More »
The Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale has received a banner entry to its supplementary catalogue with Lighthouse confirmed as an entry for the anticipated sale. The Group 1-winning daughter of Mizzen Mast and the North Light mare More Hoping will go under the hammer on Day 1 of the sale, May… Read More »
Yes, Sydney Autumn is âWhere Stories Are Toldâ and already the âstory tellingâ juvenile Fireburn is at $1.40 with Sportsbet for the Moet & Chandon Champagne Stakes on Saturday. In looking to be the seventh Sydney 2YO Triple Crown recipient, Fireburn first won the $5m Longines Golden Slipper Stakes of… Read More »
A pair of superbly bred juveniles from rival stables have stamped their quality on the midweek program at Hawkesbury, with both In Secret and Master Showman posting promising wins. While Godolphin breed most of their own horses, In Secret is a rare sales purchase for the global powerhouse, the daughter of top… Read More »
A decision on the future of glamour mare Verry Elleegant is imminent with trainer Chris Waller set to meet with her owners this week to discuss plans for the Melbourne Cup winner. Waller confirmed there are three options on the table, including heading overseas for a final European campaign likely targeting the… Read More »
It’s been 10 years since a local horse has won the Albany Cup, but young trainer Liam O’Loughlin believes he has a great chance of breaking that drought on Sunday. Having his first crack at winning the Albany Cup, Liam O’Loughlin saddles up Wild Fusion and he’s optimistic he can fly… Read More »
Track conditions at Randwick will be crucial to the chances of In The Congo adding another Group 1 win to his resume in the All Aged Stakes. The Tulloch Lodge colt was having just his second run off an extended break when finishing a game second to the in-form Mazu in the… Read More »
Robbie Griffiths would probably prefer Halvorsen got a crack at a race like The Country Discovery (1100m) at Flemington, but he is not deterred with having to travel to Sale. The Cranbourne trainer’s best sprinter will log back-to-back starts away from Flemington for the first time since early in his career when… Read More »
Trainer Gerald Ryan is relying on Williamsburg being the fresh horse on the scene as he attempts to thwart the triple crown hopes of star youngster Fireburn. Having claimed the Golden Slipper and Sires’ Produce Stakes in emphatic fashion, Fireburn needs to add Saturday’s Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) to become the… Read More »
In many ways, it doesn’t really matter how Ayrton goes in Saturday’s Victoria Handicap, merely getting back to the races is a triumph. The gelding’s racing was in doubt after he was hospitalised following a spider bite in the heart of last year’s Spring Carnival. But after an extensive rehabilitation… Read More »
