The Australian racing community is mourning the passing of Group 1-winning trainer Colin Webster, who has died aged 85 following a distinguished six-decade career that helped shape Western Australian racing. A former accountant who began training in 1961 at just 21 years of age, Webster quickly established himself as one… Read More »
The Magic Millions 2YO Classic did nothing to threaten Incognito’s place at the head of Golden Slipper betting and the Michael Freedman-trained colt is almost ready to return to the races. The son of Stay Inside was eligible for the Magic Millions, being a $1 million buy out of last… Read More »
A Tuesday morning trial at Deagon sees an unusually strong line-up of Queensland’s best talent heading there and highlighted by Antino’s first public outing towards the Sydney’s autumn carnival. Tony Gollan left no stone unturned in finding answers to why the seven-year-old finished last, beaten by nearly eight lengths, in the… Read More »
Six-time Group 1-winning sprinter Ka Ying Rising has been crowned Timeform’s Horse of the Year for 2025, with the champion also named Timeform’s Champion Sprinter. Trained by David Hayes, Ka Ying Rising was also crowned Hong Kong Horse of the Year for the 2024/25 season and has continued to establish… Read More »
Racing has an amazing way of throwing up current stories worth telling which can be linked back in history. Take the case of Torque To Be Sure … the $3 million Magic Millions 3YO Guineas winner at the Gold Coast on Saturday. The Matt Dunn trained runner was still a… Read More »
The title of Australia’s leading weight-for-age performer is up for grabs following the retirement of Via Sistina. Chris Waller announced early on Sunday afternoon that the reigning Australian Horse of the Year and two-time Cox Plate winner had run her last race. The daughter of Fastnet Rock finished second-last in… Read More »
Group One winning gelding War Machine will be seen in an early feature sprint when he lines up in the Group 2 Australia Stakes (1200m) this Friday night. Usually run at Moonee Valley, this year’s edition will be staged under lights at Pakenham with the Moonee Valley track currently under… Read More »
Torque To Be Sure’s days as a maiden are over but while his racing style still needs refining, connections were not just relieved for it to happen but also to survive a protest in the rich $3 million Magic Millions 3yo Guineas. As hot favourite Ninja ($1.55) was closing in… Read More »
He was the most inexperienced horse in the field but the Ciaron Maher-prepared Unit Five ($8) has taken out the Magic Millions 2YO Classic on the Gold Coast. Perfectly steered by hoop Thomas Stockdale, the son of Supido proved too strong for stablemate Tornado Valley ($4.40) by one length on… Read More »
Sydney jockey Jason Collett has escaped injury following a fall during Saturday’s $1 million Queensland Magic Millions Subzero (2200m) at the Gold Coast. Collett was aboard Private Legacy when the incident occurred after the field entered the main straight, with the gelding weakening after leading and being crowded by runners… Read More »
Ciaron Maher capped off a busy week at the sales with a feature race victory on the Gold Coast on Saturday, saddling Snitzanova to claim the $1 millionMagic Millions Subzero over 2200 metres. The daughter of Snitzel, who was a Group 2 winner over 1600 metres as a three-year-old, was… Read More »
It may have been an afterthought, but the Ciaron Maher-trained Future History ($3.70) has proven too classy for his rivals in the $200,000 Listed Yulong January Cup at Rosehill Gardens over testing conditions. After the track was downgraded to a Heavy 8 earlier in the card, connections had to consider maybe… Read More »
John Sadler joked that ‘trainer stubbornness’ was the reason Merrigold hadn’t been tested over 1600m prior to winning at Flemington on Saturday. The five-year-old mare had previously been kept between 1000 and 1400 metre races, but proved the extra furlong was right up her alley, winning the Vobis Gold Distaff (1600m) impressively…. Read More »
He was a touch disappointing on debut a fortnight ago but the Godolphin two-year-old Outspan ($3.30F) has put his hand up for greater riches with a dominant display in the opening contest at Rosehill. After settling just behind the early leader over the 1100m event, the Michael Freedman-prepared colt proved… Read More »
Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr now have the first and second favourite for the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m), courtesy of Big Sky’s debut win at Flemington. The Bivouac colt proved far too good for his rivals in the TAB We’re On (1000m) under jockey Jordan Childs, who… Read More »
The $3 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic has been blown wide open following the race-morning scratching of hot favourite Warwoven. Stewards ordered the unbeaten colt as well as stablemate Masvingo to undergo a third veterinary examination in less than 24 hours after they were found to be lame on Friday…. Read More »
Multiple Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Mark Zahra is facing time on the sidelines after suffering a fractured tibia in a barrier incident at Sandown on Thursday. The Victorian Jockey Association confirmed Zahra sustained the injury during trials on Thursday morning, with scans later revealing a break to his leg. “Scans have… Read More »
It’s not often you hear someone who buys a horse for $1.25 million effectively label it a bargain, but that’s what Guy Mulcaster did after striking early on Day 4 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. Chris Waller’s bloodstock agent paid that amount for the filly by I… Read More »
Saturday’s final event at Rosehill is the biggest test of Cross Tasman’s career, but it is also an audition for bigger things later in the year. The Super Seth four-year-old is a horse that Radwick trainers John O’Shea & Tom Charlton can see lining up in rich races next spring. The… Read More »
Kelly Schweida will follow a similar path as last year with talented mare Miss Joelene, who will contest the Magic Millions Subzero (2200m) at Gold Coast on Saturday. The five-year-old mare, who was a $20,000 purchase for the stable in the 2022 National Yearling Sales, has amassed over $1.4 million in… Read More »
