Starspangledbanner has reached a career-high service fee of €60,000 at Coolmore Ireland, with the surge fuelled largely by the breakout success of his Group 1-winning son Gstaad. Gstaad claimed the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar last week, becoming one of 15 stakes winners worldwide for Starspangledbanner in 2025…. Read More »
It won’t worry him but, in a way, Tom Marquand will be in the hot seat when he pushes the English visitor Lake Forest out of the starting gates and into action in the Champions Mile at Flemington. It won’t have worried Zac Purton either, but, in theory, the Hong… Read More »
The Gr.3 Golden Gift is a feature event on Saturday’s Rosehill card, a $1 million race for the two-year-olds. A mixture of the quite cheap, the expensive and the very expensive provide for an interesting pre-Christmas juvenile contest. REVENGEANCE Breeding: Hellbent – Havasu (Sacred Falls) A $100,000 graduate of the… Read More »
Racing NSW has confirmed that licensed stablehand Sarah Kellermeier has been the subject of a stewards’ inquiry after comments made on social media were found to be improper and prejudicial to the reputation of the racing industry. The investigation began on 22 October 2025, following a complaint regarding comments posted… Read More »
Dual Cox Plate winner Via Sistina has an impeccable record since joining the Chris Waller stable at the end of 2023. In 15 starts, Via Sistina has registered 10 wins – all at Group 1 level – with four placings. The one blemish came in last year’s Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at… Read More »
Raheen Stud has announced the sad passing of promising young stallion Top Ranked (IRE), who was euthanised on Thursday following a short illness. The Group 1 Epsom Handicap winner had made an immediate impact at stud, covering more than 200 mares across his first two seasons while displaying strong fertility…. Read More »
Champion jockey James McDonald says he has no concerns over Via Sistina’s wide gate ahead of Saturday’s Group 1 Champions Stakes at Flemington. The two-time Cox Plate winner will step from barrier 10 in a field of 11 as she looks to claim back-to-back victories in the Champions Stakes, a… Read More »
There is never a soft Group 1 option during Melbourne Cup week, but Sydney trainer Joe Pride is hoping he has picked that softer option on the final day of the carnival at Flemington. Pride had the option of remaining at 1600m with Ceolwulf in the Champions Mile or stepping up… Read More »
How much rain the Flemington track receives on Saturday will determine whether Tentyris attempts a second Group 1 during Melbourne Cup week. Tentyris scored an impressive win in the Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) last Saturday and is booked to run in the VRC Champions Sprint (1200m) on Saturday. But the Anthony… Read More »
The $2 million Five Diamonds is anything but an afterthought for Lindsay Park raider Rise At Dawn, his trainers confident the race is an ideal fit for the dual stakes winner. Co-conditioner Will Hayes says Saturday’s Rosehill feature has been earmarked for the gelding for some time and the rails draw has… Read More »
An encouraging debut has convinced Brad Widdup to roll the dice and give Anthropoid an opportunity to stake his Magic Millions claims in the $1 million Golden Gift at Rosehill. The colt finished an eye-catching fourth in the Kirkham Plate (1000m) when getting back to last and hitting the line stylishly and… Read More »
Read the comments from the trainers and each of the jockeys about their rides in the 2025 VRC Crown Oaks raced at Flemington on Thursday 6th November. Winning Trainer: Thomas Carberry Can you believe it? “Yeah, I saw it, so yeah. It’s an incredible journey, racing, and I think everybody’s… Read More »
Irishmen Thomas Carberry and John Allen combined for a remarkable result on Thursday, with lightly-raced filly Strictly Business taking out the VRC Oaks (2500m) at Flemington. The $1 million Group 1 victory marked Carberry’s first success at the top level, and came at just the filly’s fourth career start. Strictly… Read More »
The Anthony and Sam Freedman stable has unveiled another emerging three-year-old after Point Barrow produced a dazzling finish to claim the Red Roses Stakes (1200m) down the Flemington straight on Thursday. The win continues a hot run for the stable, coming just days after Tentyris took out the Coolmore Stud… Read More »
Mick Price is keen to find out exactly where Zambardo fits in the pecking order – and there is no greater test than taking on reigning Horse of the Year Via Sistina in the Champions Stakes (2000m) at Flemington this Saturday. Zambardo was a short-priced favourite for a benchmark 90… Read More »
Travis Doudle is optimistic he can resurrect the racing career of one-time G1 aspirant Snow Patrol, who debuts for the stable in the opening race at Morphettville Parks on Saturday. Doudle paid just $9,000 for last year’s G2 Autumn Stakes winner via Inglis Digital last month, knowing the horse has… Read More »
Hawkesbury trainer Brad Widdup is rolling the dice at Flemington, sending Jedibeel south for a shot at the VRC Champions Sprint (1200m) on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival. The six-year-old son of Savabeel will be having his first Victorian run at start number 25, having worked his… Read More »
An expensive price tag is no guarantee of success, but beautifully bred colt The Next Episode will be given an early shot at returning a percentage of his when he lines up in the $1 million Golden Gift at Rosehill. A son of champion sire Snitzel out of multiple stakes-winning mare Humma… Read More »
Queensland hobby trainer Craig Cousins is feeling the nerves ahead of The Inflictor’s shot at the $2 million Five Diamonds at Rosehill – and that’s a good thing. “I’m excited, and normally if I’m excited and get a bit nervous, he always races well,” Cousins said. A truck driver by day,… Read More »
Godolphin has confirmed the retirement of classy mare Zardozi, bringing to a close a career that featured top-level performances across multiple seasons. The announcement was fittingly made on VRC Oaks Day, the race in which Zardozi secured her lone Group 1 triumph in 2023. The daughter of Kingman consistently competed… Read More »
