Controversy marred Ceolwulf’s return in the Winx Stakes but trainer Joe Pride has taken a philosophical view of Chad Schofield’s ride, backing horse and jockey to make amends at Randwick. Schofield was criticised on social media for scouting wide on Ceolwulf around the home turn as eventual winner and runner-up,… Read More »
Co-trainer Tom Charlton has a novel take on Linebacker being dealt an early slice of bad luck by drawing an outside gate for his Tramway Stakes return at Randwick. “One way of looking at it is we’d rather get it out of the way early,” Charlton said. “It’s his first-up… Read More »
The Lindsay Park team of Ben, Will and J D Hayes concede the Moir Stakes will not be an easy assignment for Oak Hill, but the stable is confident the sprinter can turn around his form. A first-up winner over the 1000m journey at Moonee Valley last month, Oak Hill… Read More »
Star mares Via Sistina and Treasurethe Moment will be kept apart until they clash in the Cox Plate. Yulong announced on Thursday the pair are Cox Plate bound with minor tinkering to their original programs. The Chris Waller-trained Via Sistina will bypass the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at… Read More »
The late Mike Moroney had a belief that The Pendragon could win a good race in Australia. After a Group 2 success in New Zealand and then chasing home high-class mare Orchestral in the Karaka Millions, The Pendragon was sent to Melbourne for a shot at the Group 1 Australian Guineas. The… Read More »
More starting point than destination race for stablemates Vauban and Sir Delius, the Chelmsford Stakes is still expected to provide important insights for their trainers as they plot the pair’s respective paths towards the Melbourne Cup. The duo will resume in Saturday’s 1600m feature at Randwick, the shortest distance either… Read More »
The template that resulted in Bella Nipotina delivering Ciaron Maher his maiden Everest win is again being implemented by the champion trainer, this time with All Aged Stakes winner Jimmysstar. The six-year-old will be in unchartered territory when he races over 1000m for the first time in Saturday’s Concorde Stakes at Randwick but… Read More »
The veteran of the Tramway Stakes field, Private Eye will be out to teach his rivals a galloping lesson at Randwick as he bids to notch his fourteenth career-win. The eight-year-old proved he had lost none of his zest for racing with a strong first-up win in the P B Lawrence… Read More »
Most horses are for sale at the right price, but the Clinton Mcdonald-trained Rosberg has a ‘Not For Sale’ sign hanging around his neck. McDonald has sold a number of promising three-year-olds over the years to Hong Kong but has said Rosberg is off limits. Such is the opinion of… Read More »
New Zealand filly La Dorada will attempt to become the third of her age group to win the Group 1 Moir Stakes at Moonee Valley. A Group 1 winner as a two-year-old, La Dorada joins fellow three-year-old filly Esha when makes her seasonal return in the Moir Stakes (1000m) on Saturday,… Read More »
John Thompson isn’t sure Open Secret has the speed to topple her Furious Stakes rivals but he sees the race as a perfect platform for the remaining Princess Series features. The three-year-old ran a much improved race when closing late for fourth to Saturday’s rival Savvy Hallie in the Silver… Read More »
Take note racegoers, the Domeland Mona Lisa Stakes is now Group 3 with prizemoney jumping to $250,000, and to be run with the Wyong Cup this Friday. However, can the big-betting Wyong Cup be overshowed as its a highly competitive open-class staying handicap of 2100m, and of course the winner… Read More »
Promising galloper Tuxedo is set to step up to the elite level for the first time when he tackles the Group 1 Proisir Plate at Ellerslie on Saturday. Prepared by Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray, the son of Tivaci enjoyed a strong three-year-old season, winning three of his six starts…. Read More »
After a strong first season in Hong Kong, trainer David Eustace is feeling optimistic as he embarks on his second year in one of the world’s most competitive racing environments. Speaking on this week’s Straight Talk podcast, Eustace admitted he would have been satisfied with “somewhere in the 20s” for… Read More »
Blue-blooded thoroughbreds are not a mainstay of Joe Pride’s stable so it’s no surprise the Warwick Farm horseman is hard pressed to think of a better bred galloper to have come through his yard than Warwick Farm winner Attica. By champion Lonhro, the colt is the first foal from multiple… Read More »
The Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr stable has high hopes for Engine Of War following his breakthrough win at Sandown. Engine Of War is being geared towards the Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington in November following his first-up win in the Sportsbet Jockey Watch Plate (1500m) on Wednesday. The… Read More »
It is a long way from the Lingfield racecourse in the Surrey countryside in England to the Birdsville racetrack in the heart of outback Australia, but that is the thirty-eight race journey that the now eight-year-old gelding Without Revenge has taken since winning in his third career start at Lingfield… Read More »
“He’s been riding for probably two months with a fracture to his femur. Talk about concrete. That man is concrete.” The speaker was champion trainer Aidan O’Brien. The man he was referring to was champion jockey Ryan Moore who has now been sidelined with an injury which could well see… Read More »
Brad Widdup isn’t overly concerned by the improving track conditions as he readies Silver Shadow Stakes winner Savvy Hallie for the second leg of the prestigious Princess Series. After an outstanding juvenile season in which she twice placed in Group company, the filly made it two wins from as many starts this… Read More »
After a long and steady build-up, trainer Mitchell Freedman is looking forward to the return of his Group 1 winning sprinter Skybird. Off the scene since winning the Group 1 Lightning Stakes (1000m) at Flemington in February courtesy of a pectoral muscle injury, Skybird returns in the Group 1 Moir Stakes… Read More »
