Champion jockey James McDonald is set for another lucrative stint in Hong Kong, arriving this week in career-best form for a seven-week riding campaign in the Asian racing hub. McDonald heads offshore after closing out the Melbourne Cup Carnival with a dominant Group 1 victory aboard Via Sistina in the… Read More »
Giga Kick is set to head west, with trainer Clayton Douglas confirming the superstar sprinter will target the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) at Ascot on November 29, before a possible tilt at the $1.5 million Gold Rush (1400m) on December 13. The announcement follows Giga Kick’s thrilling victory in… Read More »
Inkaruna will be given the chance to round out the Spring Carnival with a big payday for connections when she steps out at Caulfield this Saturday. The Sam and Anthony Freedman-trained filly, who was runner-up to classy stablemate Point Barrow in last Thursday’s Group 3 Red Roses Stakes at Flemington, will contest… Read More »
Fresh from conquering Champions Day at Flemington, Joe Pride has turned his attention to this Saturday’s $1 million The Hunter, in which he be heavily represented. Past winner Coal Crusher will be joined by Pride-trained stablemates Accredited, Estadio Mestalla and Golden Mile in the 1300-metre event at Newcastle. The Hunter will be run… Read More »
Despite bypassing a $10 million feature with Angel Capital last week, champion trainer Chris Waller is satisfied he has waited for Saturday’s Group 1 Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield. Now racing as an entire for new owners Yulong, Angel Capital had the option of chasing the lucrative winner’s cheque in… Read More »
The revamped Spring Carnival programming, which sees the Group 1 CF Orr Stakes (1400m) run at Caulfield this Saturday, is perfect for Jimmysstar according to his trainer Ciaron Maher. Fresh off a dominant win in the $3 million Russell Balding Stakes (1300m), Jimmysstar has returned to Melbourne in fine fettle…. Read More »
For the second year in succession, spring plans haven’t gone to plan for high-class galloper Linebacker, but his trainers remain adamant he will return bigger and better in the autumn. The Randwick Guineas winner was being prepared for a tilt at the Epsom Handicap – Golden Eagle double but when… Read More »
James McDonald and Chris Waller celebrated a major milestone at Flemington on Saturday, securing their 50th Group 1 victory together courtesy of another dominant display from Via Sistina in the Group 1 Champions Stakes. The daughter of Fastnet Rock, sent out a $1.70 favourite despite heavy conditions, once again proved… Read More »
Jockey Chad Schofield has paid a heavy price for his Champions Mile victory with stewards fining him $35,000 and outing him for a month on careless riding and whip charges. The Sydney-based Schofield pleaded guilty to the careless riding charge near the 1400-metre mark and was suspended for 18 meetings… Read More »
Grand Larceny rounded off the Melbourne Cup Carnival in a positive fashion for the training partnership of Michael, John and Wayne Hawkes, claiming his fifth career win in decisive fashion. Grand Larceny was ridden to victory by Ben Melham, husband of Melbourne Cup winning rider Jamie, adding a nice finishing… Read More »
It has been a heady week for connections of the Ciaron Maher-trained Vivy Air, who has backed up a game second to stablemate Gringotts in the Big Dance with a thrilling win in the $2 million Five Diamonds. Collecting $600,000 for her second placing at Randwick on Tuesday, Vivy Air… Read More »
Via Sistina has won her 12th race at Group 1 level with a typically dominant performance, going back-to-back in the Group 1 Champions Stakes (2000m) at Flemington. The heavy conditions didn’t faze the reigning Australian horse of the year, who tracked up three-wide with cover under James McDonald and put… Read More »
Ceolwulf further pressed claims for recognition as Australia’s best miler after claiming an epic Champions Mile at Flemington on Saturday. At his first start in Victoria the Joe Pride-trained gelding lifted from the canvas under hard riding from Chad Schofield to defeat Pericles in a stirring edition of the $3… Read More »
When Arctic Glamour claimed the scalp of subsequent Group 1 winner Joliestar as a three-year-old, connections thought the sky was the limit. It has taken two years and many frustrating defeats for the mare to deliver another, but she has done it in style, upsetting her more fancied rivals to… Read More »
Read the comments from the trainers and each of the jockeys about their rides in the 2025 Champions Stakes raced at Flemington on Saturday 8th November. Winning Trainer: Chris Waller She’s beautiful: “She is. Seeing the Sprint, the Mile and now this race, it’s giving everyone an extra taste of… Read More »
Read the comments from the trainers and each of the jockeys about their rides in the 2025 Five Diamonds raced at Rosehill on Saturday 8th November. Winning Trainer: Ciaron Maher (Johann Gerard-Dubord comments) On the mare: “She is very tough. She has been so consistent. She has been finding it… Read More »
It was celebration time for the connections of Whisky On The Hill when the Glen Thompson-trained gelding prevailed in a spirited two-way battle with Etna Rosso to claim victory by a length in the Group 3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m). Whisky On The Hill had to dig deep in testing… Read More »
Tulloch Lodge youngster Revengeance has booked his place in the world’s richest two-year-old feature after capitalising on his race experience to score a classy win in the $1 million Golden Gift at Rosehill. The first prizemoney purse of $580,000 guarantees his qualification for next year’s Golden Slipper (1200m) and co-trainer… Read More »
Read the comments from the trainers and each of the jockeys about their rides in the 2025 Champions Mile raced at Flemington on Saturday 8th November. Winning Trainer: Joe Pride Pride of Flemington today: “That was fantastic, really special. I love winning races here. This horse has really turned it… Read More »
Giga Kick is now a Group 1 winner in three different states after a stirring victory in the Group 1 VRC Champions Sprint (1200m) at Flemington. Second up off a blistering return win in the Group 2 Schillaci Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield, the six-year-old gelding surged late on the heavy… Read More »
