Missing a race during the Melbourne Cup carnival at Flemington has brought the Ballarat Cup into focus for Lord Fandango who will be striving to win his home-track feature on a seven-day back-up. Lord Fandango was due to run in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) at Flemington on November 10… Read More »
Trainer Kevin Kemp is hoping jockey Luke Tarrant’s experience on Sold For Song can help end a long of outs for the mare at Doomben. James Orman rode Sold For Song for a fast-finishing second at the Sunshine Coast two weeks but he has elected ride Niccanova in Saturday’s Listed… Read More »
Trainer Mick Bell fears his best horse Jungle Edge may be racing for the last time in Victoria when he contests a sprint handicap at Ballarat. The winner of 14 of his 60 starts, Jungle Edge is scheduled to run in Saturday’s Tonks Plate (1200m), his last start before a… Read More »
A friendly weight scale has given in-form mare Volkoff a chance to break her hoodoo over 1200 metres at Doomben. Co-trainer Bryan Guy has been adamant since taking over the former Perth mare from Gary Crispin that she can win at 1200m, a feat that has eluded her in seven… Read More »
It’s been a great year of racing. Winx confirmed her status as the undisputed queen of the turf. A new star in The Autumn Sun announced himself on the national stage. Redzel did what champions do and defended his Everest title. And Willie Pike just kept winning in the last… Read More »
Trainer Luca Cumani’s final runner has finished second on a race at Wolverhampton. Cumani announced last month he had decided to call it a day after 43 years at Bedford House Stables in Newmarket. He confirmed earlier this week that Swansdown, carrying the colours of his family’s Fittocks Stud, would… Read More »
A Victorian bookmaker has been suspended and fined for recording fictitious bets over a three-year period. Brian Mann fronted the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board on Thursday over a number of fictitious bets and bet-backs Racing Victoria stewards say occurred from July 2013 to May 2016. During that period, 315… Read More »
More than 800 juveniles remain in contention for next year’s $1.5 million Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield after first acceptances. The Lindsay Park stable has 101 of the record 812 first acceptors with trainer Tony McEvoy still with 65 two-year-olds among the entries for the Group One race. The next… Read More »
Two scratchings have paved the way for Ballarat Cup favourite Lucky For All to secure a start in the $350,000 race. The Darren Weir-trained Lucky For All was second emergency when the final field was declared on Wednesday but the Chris Waller-trained Savacool and John McArdle-trained Smart As You Think… Read More »
Despite securing a licence to ride in Singapore, Ben Thompson will not be resting before his departure. Thompson begins a 12-month tenure in Singapore on January 1, but before leaving it is business as usual for the Melbourne-based rider. A recent two-day trip to Singapore, where he landed his first… Read More »
With a stable name like Big Knickers, you could be forgiven for thinking Niccobelle wouldn’t amount to much on the racetrack. But after landing a narrow victory at Randwick on Melbourne Cup day, the gelding has earned a shot at Saturday grade and will take his place in the TAB.com.au… Read More »
A record 812 juveniles remain in contention for next year’s $1.5 million Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) following the closure of first acceptances on Tuesday, the figure shattering last year’s total of 706 entries. David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig once again top the list of first acceptors with… Read More »
Leading Melbourne apprentice Ben Allen will head west in a bid for his first Group One win aboard one of the main Railway Stakes contenders, Peaceful State. The teenager has had four placings at Group One level during his career. Allen rode the Darren Weir-trained Peaceful State to third in… Read More »
Consistent mare Plucky Girl has had two strong trials as she prepares for another major step in her surprising career. Trainer Toby Edmonds admits Plucky Girl continues to surprise him as she steps up to new challenges with her record for 21 starts standing at eight wins and 11 minor… Read More »
Connections of three-year-old Starvirgo have tinkered with his gear in a bid to get the best out of the gelding in the Magic Millions 3&4YO Classic at Ballarat. Trainer Anthony Freedman has opted to remove the blinkers which Starvigo has worn in his past two starts and also the cross-over… Read More »
Two-year-old Jonah will get the chance to stake his autumn carnival claims at Rosehill after connections rejigged plans for the colt to make a flying visit to Melbourne. The youngster put the writing on the wall at his debut when he made a race of it with unbeaten juvenile Time… Read More »
With the major spring carnival races over, connections of Lycurgus are looking for the stayer to come to the fore in a couple of lucrative country Cups. The Danny O’Brien-trained Lycurgus will run in Saturday’s $350,000 Ballarat Cup (2200m) at the third start of his campaign and stable representative Matt… Read More »
Toowoomba trainer Steve Tregea has developed one of the most consistent stables in the state and hopes to parlay that into stakes wins over summer. Tregea runs a boutique breeding and training business on the Darling Downs and has had plenty of success with stakes winners such as Love Rocks… Read More »
Rockhampton trainer Graeme Green believes a comparison of times gives Master Jamie the chance to continue a proud tradition of central Queensland two-year-olds in Brisbane. Master Jamie showed his ability when he won his first start at Rockhampton by nearly seven lengths earlier this month. Green had no hesitation setting… Read More »
The father-and-son training partnership of Peter and Paul Snowden has been fined $7000 by Racing NSW stewards after a Newcastle winner returned a positive urine sample to a banned substance. California Concorde returned a positive to phenylbutazone, oxyphenbutazone and gamma hydroxy phenylbutazone following a win on September 29. A hearing… Read More »
