Adam Durrant says if Tena Koutou keeps progressing, he’s a top chance of claiming the Aquanita Stakes (2000m) at Belmont Park on Saturday. The Blackfriars gelding is chasing a winning hatrick in the Aquanita Stakes after recording strong mile victories at Kalgoorlie and Pinjarra. Durrant feels Tena Koutou, closely related… Read More »
A feature race win at the Sunshine Coast would be the icing on the cake for Tony Gollan as he closes out another successful winter carnival in Queensland. The leading trainer’s highlight was a Group 1 victory with Vega One in the Kingsford-Smith Cup, that horse narrowly missing a second major when… Read More »
With two big guns sidelined for the year – and possibly longer – Tony Gollan is hoping some less-heralded stable runners can close out the winter carnival on a winning note at Caloundra on Saturday. Gollan has the fillies Glitter Strip and The Actuary in the Winx Guineas, while Snitch is out to complete the… Read More »
The massive ten race meeting at Ipswich lasted two races more than the meeting did at Kilcoy yesterday but, ultimately, for the second day in a row, a meeting in Queensland was abandoned with Ipswich only going as far as race four. Trainer Michael Nolan, who won one of the… Read More »
Best known as the trainer of two-time Group One winner and Cox Plate runner-up Castelvecchio, Richard Litt has tasted the highs that racing can offer. He also knows they don’t last forever. With Castelvecchio now enjoying a new chapter at stud, Litt has reverted to his bread and butter – tried… Read More »
The decision to help out a friend has led to Brett Lazzarini’s second coming as a trainer, more than 25 years after he walked away from the sport. Lazzarini did his apprenticeship under Dr Geoff Chapman and Tony Wildman during the late 1970s and early 1980s before taking out a licence in… Read More »
An awkward draw at a recent Flemington meeting has caused a rethink to the program of recent longshot winner Romancer. Instead of being aimed at Saturday’s VRC/CRV Winter Championship Final (1600m), Grahame Begg and connections elected to concentrate on the Listed All Victorian Sprint Series Final (1200m). Romancer won a heat of… Read More »
Matt Dunn is confident Magic Ruler has more strings to his bow than simply being a mudlark, but he is happy to wait to have that theory confirmed. The three-year-old has won two of his past three starts on heavy tracks and is set to get similar conditions in the Ranvet Handicap… Read More »
The Robbie Griffiths and Mathew de Kock stable is hoping a recent victory has given Token Spirit the confidence to score again at Flemington. Token Spirit lines up in the Mahogany Challenge Final (2500m) on Saturday, the final of a series of middle distance and staying races for three-year-olds. Having… Read More »
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace stable is looking beyond a late season race at Flemington with two-year-old Mennea. Engaged in the Next Generation Sprinters Series Final on Saturday, Mennea will be joined by stablemate The Art Of Flying in the 1200m sprint. Eustace handed a strong tip for Mennea,… Read More »
Simon Zahra is hoping a swing in the weights will favour Odeon in the VRC/CRV Winter Championship Final at Flemington. The Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra stable have had a single goal for Odeon this preparation, a Listed race at Flemington. That race comes around on Saturday, the VRC/CRV Winter… Read More »
Not surprisingly, the first Midway Handicap, which will take place at Rosehill tomorrow, has attracted a full field of runners. Back in February, as part of their $20 million prize-money increases, Racing NSW announced the introduction of Midway races … a new race concept with prize money worth $100 000… Read More »
Keen to make the most of Sydney’s wet tracks, Joe Pride has confirmed Kaapfever will back up from his narrow second in the Stayer’s Cup in a bid to go one better at Rosehill. Pride has been monitoring the six-year-old’s recovery from last weekend’s performance behind proven two-miler Sweet Thomas… Read More »
Last start Stradbroke runner-up and G1 winner Vega One may not race again says trainer Tony Gollan with the horse battling a serious infection. Group One Kingsford Smith Cup winner Vega One may have run his last race after suffering a serious infection following multiple surgeries after the horse was… Read More »
Farrier, endurance rider, horse breaker, jockey, accomplished horsewoman. Now you can add successful trainer. Kirsten Melis celebrated her first winner at Northam today (Thursday) after Oceanzara won the Wheatbelt Winterama Maiden (1300m). With emerging apprentice, Holly Watson aboard, the four-year-old mare finished full of running and defeated odds on favourite Better In Kit by… Read More »
When Hong Kong buyers come knocking it is difficult not to open the door. Ask Will Hulbert, who trains in partnership with his father Peter … but, in truth, when that knock on the door came enquiring about the stable’s Rough Habit winner Criminal defence, it did not take Hulbert… Read More »
A start in the Kosciuszko is back-of-mind for Hellenism’s trainer Aiden St Vincent, who has two other races on his short-term wish list, starting with the Highway Handicap at Rosehill. The mare is an early favourite for Saturday’s 1100m event and St Vincent is keen to see her put another victory… Read More »
Mark Ford can’t wait for Saturday’s Belmont Park meeting to come around. The former Zimbabwean and South African horseman is filled with nervous energy and excitement. It’s been a long road travelled by Ford but in the Listed Aquanita Stakes he starts his first Australian runner in a black-type race…. Read More »
The Midway Handicaps will become a regular fixture at Sydney Saturday meetings, but trainer Richard Litt is hoping to etch his name in the record books by capturing the inaugural edition. The Warwick Farm horseman will saddle up three runners –Catapult, Wander and Sedition – and he regards all as genuine each-way chances…. Read More »
Harry Coffey hopes his trip to town will provide he and his father Austy a rare city success. The father-and-son team team with Messignadi in the Listed Taj Rossi Series Final (1600m) and Miss Cheviots in the Next Generation Sprinters Series Final (1200m) at Flemington on Saturday. Based at Swan Hill, the Coffey’s are infrequent visitors to metropolitan… Read More »
