Danny O’Brien is thrilled to have Iconoclasm as an addition to his team and the trainer will get a better guide on big race targets for the talented horse after he makes his return in the VOBIS Gold Sprint at Caulfield. Iconoclasm ended his previous campaign with a couple of… Read More »
Trainer Liam Birchley believes Havasay is racing a lot better than it appears on paper and can make a lie of his long price at Eagle Farm. Birchley realises Havasay has a big task against star sprinter Redzel in the weight-for-age Group Two Victory Stakes (1200m). Racing Queensland handicapper Nathan… Read More »
The opening day of the Warrnambool three-day carnival will feature four jumps races on a 10-event card. Three maiden hurdle races kick off the carnival on Tuesday, drawing capacity fields with the day’s feature, the Brierly Steeplechase having eight acceptors with a total of 139 spread across the 10 races…. Read More »
Sunlight has pleased Tony McEvoy in a Gawler barrier trial but the trainer will monitor how the star filly comes through the hit-out before making a final decision on a start in the Group One TAB Classic. Already a three-time Group One winner this season, Sunlight headlines nominations for Saturday… Read More »
Top Sydney jockey Blake Shinn has several key rides in feature races at Eagle Farm but may be under the most pressure in the Open Handicap. Shinn is basing himself in Queensland for the winter and has picked up the ride on consistent Le Juge in Saturday’s 1800m-race. It will… Read More »
Pressure is now mounting for Freshman Sire sensation Sidestep to shuttle abroad following his first Northern Hemisphere winner in France last night. Real Appeal is the 2YOs name and he led all the way to win on debut at Chantilly over 1100m. He was got while Sidestep stood his solitary… Read More »
The well-bred Brilliant Mind will be given a chance to emulate his Group One winning sister Youngstar and lead trainer Gary Moore’s assault on the winter three-year-old Classics. Brilliant Mind is set to tackle the Group Three Gunsynd Classic (1600m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday on the first step towards… Read More »
Australia’s Santa Ana Lane has drawn the outside barrier in a field of 10 for his assignment in the Chairman’s Sprint Prize in Hong Kong. The Anthony Freedman-trained gelding is one of the leading contenders for Sunday’s 1200m-Group One sprint with Australia’s other representative Viddora to start from seven. Viddora… Read More »
Trainer Lloyd Kennewell is feeling more confident Viddora will make it to the starting gates of the Chairman’s Sprint Prize in Hong Kong after showing signs of recovery from lameness. Viddora is being closely monitored ahead of Sunday’s big race at Sha Tin after she was found to be lame… Read More »
Matt Dale is not only a good trainer but also a good form student. Dark Eyes took out Thursday’s The Les Carlyon at Flemington after Dale noticed something on the gelding’s form card. Formerly prepared by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, Dark Eyes was having his fifth start for the… Read More »
Rachel King has made her way straight back to the winners’ circle at her first ride back from injury, winning aboard Romantic Whisper at Randwick. Last season’s champion Sydney apprentice and the winner of the Group One Spring Champion Stakes on Nakeeta Jane, King broke her collarbone in a multiple… Read More »
Champion trainer Gai Waterhouse’s recent domination of the VRC St Leger has continued with Transact leading all the way to win the time-honoured staying race. Transact’s front-running victory in Thursday’s 2800m Listed VRC St Leger for three-year-olds, the feature race on the annual Anzac Day program at Flemington, gave Waterhouse… Read More »
Three-year-old Zoutori has done a fair amount of growing up which in turn has led to the gelding being unbeaten in his current campaign. After a first-up win at Pakenham earlier in April, Zoutori added Thursday’s Auckland Racing Club Trophy at Flemington to his record. Mathew Ellerton, who trains in… Read More »
Three months can be a long time in racing. And in the case of two-year-old filly Chaillot, trainer Archie Alexander says her transformation and development in that time has been amazing. Chaillot, a $25,000 yearling, has stamped herself as a genuine spring Classics prospect after a convincing win in Thursday’s… Read More »
Promising Sydney two-year-old Deep Sea will be on a learning curve when he makes his Brisbane debut at Eagle Farm. Deep Sea scored a strong win at his only start on the Kensington track three weeks ago and trainer Mark Newnham earmarked a Queensland trip for him. The gelding will… Read More »
Adelaide visitor Waging War will again attempt to thwart Widgee Turf in the rich VOBIS Gold Mile at Caulfield. A year ago Waging War lowered the colours of the $3.50 favourite Widgee Turf in the $250,000 VOBIS Gold Mile. Widgee Turf was coming off success in the Victoria Handicap at… Read More »
Joe Pride reckons he has the formula right as he prepares Pecans for a first-up Group Three win which may well be her last race start. The trainer sent Pecans to the Darley Crown at Hawkesbury a year ago on the back of three barrier trials and she delivered the… Read More »
Jockey Michael Dee admits he agonised over his choice of mount for the inaugural running of The Showdown at Caulfield. The Showdown is restricted to two-year-olds by Victorian-based VOBIS nominated sires and Dee had the choice of two highly fancied runners in Saturday’s 1200m-dash which carries a first prize of… Read More »
Having cut his teeth around the western districts of Victoria, trainer John Sadler has two races on his bucket list. The two major flat races at Warrnambool’s May carnival, the Warrnambool Cup and Wangoom Handicap, have to date eluded him. Sadler hopes to turn that around at next week’s carnival… Read More »
Talented mare I Am Excited will not be lacking in experience against black-type company when she tries to cause an upset in the Victory Stakes at Eagle Farm. Redzel is the odds-on favourite for Saturday’s Group Two 1200m-sprint but Sydney trainer David Pfieffer is encouraged by I Am Excited’s form…. Read More »
