If Miss Leonidas can recapture her spring form, it will take her a long way to a first–up victory in the W J Adams Stakes at Caulfield. The mare shocked punters when she split star sprinters Nature Strip and Sunlight in a Group One race at The Valley in September… Read More »
Gary Doughty has experienced the high and lows of racing and he is convinced that sometimes fate plays a hand in winning. As a jockey Doughty rode hundreds of winners including at Group One level before a serious injury forced him out of the saddle 15 years ago. Since then… Read More »
The Mornington Cup features in trainer Mike Moroney’s autumn plans for Aktau as part of a long-term plan to target Australia’s major staying races with the lightly raced import. Aktau made an encouraging start to his Australian career when he won a 1600m-benchmark race at Flemington on December 21. The… Read More »
Trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace are drawing inspiration from former champion juvenile Capitalist as they plan a Golden Slipper bid for Magic Millions Classic winner Away Game. Trained by Peter and Paul Snowden, Capitalist claimed the Magic Millions Classic–Golden Slipper double three years ago, the first horse to manage… Read More »
Premier Brisbane trainer Tony Gollan has a long association with the family of two-year-old Looming Large who makes his debut at Eagle Farm. Looming Large won a Doomben trial by five lengths on Tuesday and as long as he continues to do well, he will back up in Saturday’s QTIS… Read More »
Queensland racegoers will get their last chance to see star three-year-old Alligator Blood at the track this season when he runs in a barrier trial at the Sunshine Coast. Trainer David Vandyke had originally considered giving Alligator Blood a track gallop but accepted the club’s offer of a barrier trial… Read More »
Champion jockey Hugh Bowman will return to the saddle this weekend where it is Expressway Stakes day at Randwick after a short break following the news of a recent family tragedy. Bowman has not ridden since last Wednesday’s Canterbury meeting after he received news his brother in law had passed… Read More »
Chris Waller has locked in Royal Ascot plans for The Everest winner Yes Yes Yes while Nature Strip remains a serious chance to join his stablemate on the international stage. The top sprinters are both slated to return in the Group One Lightning Stakes at Flemington and are continuing to… Read More »
The race is on for a start in Victoria’s richest two-year-old race with nine of the 90 juveniles still in Blue Diamond contention among acceptances for the Chairman’s Stakes at Caulfield. The winner of Saturday’s Group Three Chairman’s Stakes earns enough prize money to gain a start in the $1.5… Read More »
Well-travelled gelding New Universe was once considered a Group One contender but is now being aimed at a Brisbane win in a far weaker race. New Universe will be having his first start over a distance beyond 1600m in Saturday’s Open Handicap (1800m) at Eagle Farm. The gelding won his… Read More »
A good thing happened to the world of horse racing overnight. And it was in Japan. Two much loved, admired, and followed, Australian Gr 1 winning mares, had babies. They being Gr 1 Golden Slipper winner SHE WILL REIGN (Manhattan Rain-Courgette) and Gr 1 Vinery Stud Stakes winner SINGLE GAZE…. Read More »
Star jumper Sizing John has been sidelined for the rest of the National Hunt season after suffering another injury setback. Trainer Jessica Harrington said the injury was different from the one that kept the 2017 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner off the scene for more than two years. The 10-year-old made… Read More »
Snowden Racing has 42 of the 328 two-year-olds still in contention for the $3.5 million Golden Slipper including second favourite Dame Giselle. The Ciaron Maher/David Eustace stable has the reigning favourite Cellsabeel among its 25 youngsters in the mix at Wednesday’s second acceptance stage. The stables each have a runner… Read More »
Melbourne Cup winner Vow And Declare has shaded his younger stablemate Russian Camelot in a gallop between races at Geelong. Cup winning jockey Craig Williams made a special trip to Geelong on Wednesday to ride Vow And Declare while Damien Oliver, who rode a winner earlier on the Geelong program,… Read More »
Debut winner Letzbeglam will be put to the test in the Chairman’s Stakes at Caulfield in a race which shapes as another pointer towards the Group One Blue Diamond Stakes. Trained by Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young, Letzbeglam raced to a comfortable two-length win in an 1100m maiden for two-year-old… Read More »
South Coast communities in NSW will be the first beneficiaries of the Racing for the Bushfire Appeal with emergency hay drops the priority. The Australian Turf Club Foundation will immediately begin to distribute funds raised from last Saturday’s fund raising day at Randwick for NSW communities and wildlife. More than… Read More »
Injured jockey Tegan Harrison has an extra reason to get back to riding after Mighty Mittere scored a freakish win at the Gold Coast. Trained by Harrison’s partner Ben Hull, Mighty Mittere ($13) came from about eight lengths off the leaders to win the Brian Forman Handicap (900m). Few horses… Read More »
Controversial former jockey Danny Nikolic has lost his bid for a riding licence in Queensland. The Queensland Racing Integrity Commission has refused an application by Nikolic for a licence to ride at provincial meetings. The QRIC said in a statement on Wednesday it had informed Nikolic his application had been… Read More »
After an untimely interruption to his career, Vegadaze is primed to get it back on track starting with the Group Two Expressway Stakes. The 1200m-sprint will now be run at Randwick with officials switching Saturday’s meeting from Rosehill because of the forecast for extreme heat in Sydney’s west. Either track… Read More »
The Group One Oakleigh Plate is again a target for Bons Away, with the sprinter’s connections hoping it will be third time lucky. Six-year-old Bons Away begins his latest preparation towards an Oakleigh Plate tilt in Saturday’s Listed WJ Adams Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield, a race he won last year… Read More »
