Brian Hughes has been officially crowned Britain’s champion jockey for the first time following the close of the 2019/2020 jumps season. The 34-year-old was leading defending titleholder Richard Johnson by 19 winners on 141 victories when the season was brought to an unscheduled end on March 17 because of the… Read More »
One of the leading contenders for the Queen Elizabeth Stakes has tuned up for his biggest test with a barrier trial at Rosehill. The Hawkes Racing-trained Master Of Wine was given a soft trial on Monday by Tommy Berry in the 900m-heat won by Snitz. Berry will miss Saturday’s second… Read More »
Living on the NSW side of the Murray River has curtailed the racing opportunities in Victoria for Albury trainer Mitch Beer. The trainer is reluctant to send runners across the border to race at places like Bendigo, Kilmore and Seymour unless they warrant the journey. Beer cannot cross the border… Read More »
Godolphin filly Kiamichi has been retired after failing to recapture the form that won her a Golden Slipper. A Godolphin home-bred, Kiamichi led home a trifecta for Sheikh Mohammed when she beat her James Cummings-trained stablemate Microphone and Lyre from the Anthony Freedman stable in last year’s Slipper. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDheSHK6WVw Kiamichi… Read More »
The federal government’s JobKeeper scheme is likely to save Queensland race clubs from massive financial loss and possible closure. Several clubs were already in financial trouble before the current coronavirus restrictions but that has been magnified in recent weeks. An estimated 500 full-time and casual Queensland race club employees have… Read More »
Opie Bosson admits he will have mixed feelings if Melody Belle wins the Queen Elizabeth Stakes in which he rides stablemate Te Akau Shark. The stable jockey for New Zealand’s Te Akau Racing, Bosson has ridden Melody Belle to five of her 10 Group One wins and was aboard when… Read More »
The TAB is investing a glitch that offered some customers inflated cash-out dividends for quadrellas on meetings at Randwick and Doomben. More than 1300 customers took up an offer to cash out their investments in the ACT, NSW and Victoria on Saturday. The quadrella involves picking the winners of four… Read More »
Leading jockey Craig Newitt fears for the future of the Tasmanian racing industry following its shutdown by the government in a bid to stop the spread of coronavirus. The three codes, thoroughbreds, greyhound and harness, were told to stop racing for four weeks by Tasmania Premier Peter Gutwein last Thursday… Read More »
Hong Kong champion Beauty Generation has continued his resurgence with victory in the Group Two Chairman’s Trophy at Sha Tin. Sunday’s win sets Beauty Generation up for a tilt at an unprecedented third Group One Champions Mile later this month. Racing is continuing in Hong Hong and Japan but has… Read More »
British bookmakers will donate over PS2.6 million ($A5.3m) to NHS charities from profits on the Virtual Grand National, with almost five million people tuning in to watch the race. With the real thing cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic and racing on hold until at least the end of April,… Read More »
Those racegoers who regularly listen to Sydney’s metro caller, Darren Flindell, have probably come to know he likes to play with horse names during his call. I say probably because I think in the heat of the call most listeners simply miss his quirky, clever, Darrenisms. Which is a shame… Read More »
Chris Waller will assess the stable’s Doncaster Mile runners before committing any to back up in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes. The Waller-trained Verry Elleegant is a confirmed runner after her last-start win in the Group One Tancred Stakes on March 28 and will be ridden by Nash Rawiller. That victory… Read More »
New Zealand champion Melody Belle will take on stablemate Te Akau Shark in the Group One Queen Elizabeth Stakes, a week after her gallant fourth in the Doncaster Mile. The mare will be ridden by Kerrin McEvoy with Te Akau Racing’s stable rider Opie Bosson to stick with Te Akau… Read More »
The compression of the famous Warrnambool carnival into two days has forced local trainer Symon Wilde to consider his options. A key player at the carnival, Wilde is in a dilemma which race to target with local hero Gold Medals. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, this year’s carnival has been… Read More »
Caloundra trainer Stuart Kendrick is hoping the decision to scrap the winter carnival can be overturned to allow Eric The Eel another chance at a Group One win. Racing Queensland is under pressure to reverse its decision to abandon the carnival which would mean the cancellation of the 2020 Queensland… Read More »
Prize money for races in NSW will be cut by 20 per cent until the end of the financial year because of the flow-on effects from the coronavirus crisis. While racing is continuing in Australia under strict biosecurity protocols, meetings are being held without spectators, reducing the income from wagering,… Read More »
Dual Everest-winning sprinter Redzel may have run his last race with co-trainer Peter Snowden signalling retirement is looming. Redzel ran third in Saturday’s TJ Smith Stakes won in brilliant fashion by Nature Strip from last year’s winner Santa Ana Lane. Snowden said he believed it was one of the gelding’s… Read More »
Syndicator OTI Racing announced Tom Melbourne’s retirement after the nine-year-old gelding finished unplaced in Saturday’s Listed Old Comrade Stakes in Perth. Tom Melbourne won six of his 51 starts and more than $1.4 million prize money. His best performances include the 2016 Listed Albury Cup and 2019 Listed Carrington Stakes…. Read More »
Pressure is mounting on Racing Queensland to reverse its decision to scrap the winter carnival which was due to start later this month. The Brisbane Racing Club, breeders, and some trainers and owners are pushing for a scaled down carnival to be run in June and July after RQ cancelled… Read More »
Ten races will be run and won at Sha Tin on Sunday, where the feature race on the card will be the clash between Beauty Generation and Waikuku in the Chairman’s Trophy (1600m). Race One: 1 Trust Me Race Two: 11 Unique Treasure Race Three: 2 Waikuku Race Four: 2… Read More »
