The Victoria Racing Club has unveiled a statue honouring national icon and Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Michelle Payne OAM at Flemington Racecourse. Ten years on from her historic victory aboard Prince of Penzance, Payne’s statue was revealed in front of family, friends and supporters, commemorating her groundbreaking achievement as the first… Read More »
The Lindsay Park stable of Ben, Will and J D Hayes was left deflated after their two fillies did not make the final cut for the Golden Slipper at Rosehill. Medicinal and Gin Twist were emergencies two and three respectively in Australia’s richest two-year-old race. Ben Hayes was disappointed neither one of the pair… Read More »
After enduring a bumpy start to her preparation, Idle Flyer is back on target for her Group One goal, and this week’s Emancipation Stakes at Rosehill will be an important stepping stone towards it. The mare’s return to the races was delayed by a stubborn virus, forcing trainer Matthew Smith to kick… Read More »
The rain that has fallen in Melbourne with the prospect of more has been welcomed by Glen Thompson as he shoots for a Melbourne Cup berth with Whisky On The Hill. The Listed Roy Higgins (2600m) at Flemington on Saturday holds a ‘win and you’re in’ ticket for the Melbourne Cup (3200m) at… Read More »
The potential rain that is forecast to hit Flemington in the lead-up to the Australian Cup meeting is music to ears of Emma-Lee and David Browne. Up to 20mm was forecast for Thursday, up to another 9mm on Friday with between 1mm and 6mm on Saturday. It was that forecast that… Read More »
A good deed from the spring could be repaid this autumn when Tommy Berry teams up with the Cliff Brown-trained Sepals in the Doncaster Prelude at Rosehill. Sepals has raced in Sydney once before, finishing runner-up to Autumn Glow in the Golden Eagle (1500m) on November 1 with Ethan Brown… Read More »
Todd Pollard, the former trusted foreman for the Rob and Annabel Archibald stable in Queensland, landed his first winner as a trainer in his own right when Subterrain saluted at Eagle Farm in a Class 1 contest over 1400m. Subterrain was Pollard’s second runner … and he had to wait… Read More »
Connections of Vinery Stud Stakes hopeful Panova have long identified the filly as a staying type, so the fact she is already a two-time stakes winner over shorter journeys has been a bonus. Rounding out her spring with back-to-back Group 3 victories in the Reginald Allen (1400m) and Carbine Club… Read More »
Having made sure to savour his Golden Slipper win, young jockey Zac Lloyd says it’s “back to business” as he looks to add to his Group 1 haul in the coming weeks. Guest House’s victory in last weekend’s $5 million Golden Slipper gave Lloyd his fourth and most significant major, and… Read More »
Jedibeel has secured a slot in the $5 million Quokka at Ascot and will represent Trackside NZ and Perth Racing in Western Australia’s richest race. Prepared by Brad Widdup, the gelding heads west in strong form after finishing runner-up in the Group 1 Galaxy at Rosehill last Saturday, following a… Read More »
A start in the Kindergarten Stakes will be considered for lightly raced colt Under Focus after he went one better than his debut second with a win on Randwick’s Kensington track. A $300,000 Easter yearling buy for Yulong, the youngster is by Too Darn Hot out of an unraced full… Read More »
Victoria is in desperate need of rain, but for Bendigo trainer Tim Fitzsimmons that is the last thing he wants ahead of Onesmoothoperator running at Flemington. Former UK galloper Onesmoothoperator is down to run in the Listed Roy Higgins (2600m) on Saturday, on the proviso the track is not too wet. Success in… Read More »
The Bjorn Baker stable has advised Racing NSW stewards that Stefi Magnetica has been retired from racing. As a result, all wagering operators have been instructed to remove the mare from betting markets for Sydney Autumn Carnival feature races. The five-year-old bows out with an impressive record, having earned $7.36… Read More »
One of the early favourites in Melbourne Cup betting is now highly unlikely to make the trip to Australia for the first Tuesday in November. Constitution Hill, once regarded as the world’s leading hurdler, entered Melbourne Cup discussions last month when owner Michael Buckley floated the idea of targeting the… Read More »
With confirmation this week that Autumn Glow will target the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, stablemate Aeliana is set to back up at Rosehill in a Tancred Stakes showdown with defending titleholder Dubai Honour. One of three Group 1 winners for Chris Waller and James Mcdonald on Golden Slipper Day, Aeliana has never raced on… Read More »
The Lindsay Park team will be out to add to their impressive record in the Australian Cup when Apulia heads to the 2000m contest on Saturday. Colin Hayes, David Hayes, Peter Hayes, Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig all have their names as winning trainers of the Australian Cup and now… Read More »
A broken hand does not always mean positive things but for small-time trainer Sharryn Livingstone it meant that a career as a horse trainer came to be. With no more than four or at the most five horses in work at any time, results matter and there is an element… Read More »
It appears the apple hasn’t fallen far from the tree when it comes to exciting filly Ohope Wins and her sire, Ocean Park. The New Zealand Oaks winner makes her Australian debut in the Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill on Saturday, her seventh start in a campaign that has been… Read More »
Trainer Michael Costa will return to establish his training base in Queensland following the Dubai World Cup meeting at Meydan on Saturday. In 2022, Costa received what he described as a “left field” opportunity when he was offered the role of private trainer for Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum… Read More »
Two runners, Ohope Wins and Belle Cheval, who have been attracting attention in New Zealand in recent times, are set to flex their muscle in the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes over 2000m at Rosehill on Saturday. Ohope Wins was superbly handled by the Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott training… Read More »
