Irish trainer Joseph O’Brien is back chasing a third Melbourne Cup victory with a strong arsenal at his disposal. With five runners in Tuesday’s 3200m race at Flemington, O’Brien has the bases loaded with a multitude of talent. There is the ‘baby’ of his quintet â James J Braddock, a… Read More »
A weight penalty for Juja Kibo’s Moonee Valley Cup win will make Sam Clipperton’s Melbourne Cup Day more comfortable, but the jockey had committed to the in-form stayer regardless. Clipperton, who normally rides around 55kg, had already started preparations to partner Juja Kibo at 53.5kg, and the 1.5kg penalty the… Read More »
It proved to be was a red-letter day for the Blue Army at Keeneland where the Bill Mott trained Sovereignty won the US7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic in emphatic fashion to give Godolphin an historic first win in the Classic, in the process keeping the organisations current exceptional run of… Read More »
Bendigo trainer Tim Fitzsimmons remembers when he first captured the racing bug. Fitzsimmons was in Nagambie and listened on radio to Empire Rose win the 1988 Melbourne Cup, trained by Laurie Laxon. Laxon would later become a multiple champion trainer in Singapore, where Fitzsimmons plied his trade to also become… Read More »
Sheila Laxon does not know what it is like to leave Melbourne Cup Day without Australia’s most famous sporting trophy and she’s hoping history repeats this Tuesday Flemington. Laxon and her partner John Symons have Knight’s Choice chasing a second win in the 3200-metre Group 1. Knight’s Choice caused one… Read More »
John O’Shea is confident that Peyton has his early career dramas now behind him as the promising three-year-old heads to Flemington on Tuesday. The son of Zoustar was passed in at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale in 2025 after failing to reach the $500,000 reserve so breeder Rosemont Stud maintained… Read More »
If winning form is good form then Mister Whiskers brings just that to Flemington on Tuesday and if his trainer’s inkling is right, bigger things may lay ahead. Fresh from Concord Connie’s second placing in the Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) on Saturday â a big moment for Charlotte Littlefield’s small… Read More »
Melbourne Cup favourite Point Of Law has received a major boost ahead of Tuesday’s $10.2 million feature after drawing barrier nine at Flemington. The lightly raced stayer will carry 53kg in the Melbourne Cup (3200m), with trainer Ciaron Maher delighted by the draw for jockey Ethan Brown. Point Of Law… Read More »
Joseph O’Brien’s Melbourne Cup plans have undergone a major reshuffle following the scratching of leading contender Defiantly, with the Irish trainer confirming the stayer will instead be entered for next Saturday’s Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Flemington. Defiantly was ruled out of Tuesday’s $10.2 million Melbourne Cup (3200m) after failing a… Read More »
It was a costly result for punters who backed the hot favourite Afireofgidgeecoals, with Levati Dimezzo producing a stunning last-to-first performance to claim the Placid Ark Prelude at Ascot. The Daniel Morton-trained Afireofgidgeecoals was all the rage in betting, jumping at the restrictive odds of $1.40, with Morning Thunder the… Read More »
There has been positive news regarding Pondalowie following her heavy fall in Saturday’s Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes at Flemington, with Racing Victoria confirming the mare has escaped injury. The Emma-Lee and David Browne-trained mare fell shortly after the field turned for home, dislodging jockey Harry Coffey, who suffered a… Read More »
The fortunes of Melbourne Cup favourite Point Of Law have been enhanced after the barrier draw for the Flemington feature. At what will be just his sixth career start, the $6 favourite drew barrier nine for the 166th edition of Australia’s most famous race, an alley trainer Ciaron Maher sees as more… Read More »
A race morning conversation with his manager convinced Tommy Berry he was on the right track in his plan to ride Travolta for luck, and fortunately for the top jockey, he got plenty of it to steer the horse to victory in the Sydney Gold Cup. Berry had ridden Travolta a handful… Read More »
Any thoughts that the best of Lady Shenandoah was behind her has been shattered with the Chris Waller-trained mare winning her second Group 1 win in two weeks. After returning to winning form in the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) at Caulfield two weeks ago, Lady Shenandoah added another Group 1… Read More »
The star jockey spring carnival to remember continued when he partnered Skyhook to a thrilling win in the Group 1 $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m) at Royal Randwick today. This triumph came after he rode Tempted to win the Group 1 $20 million The Everest (1200m) two weeks ago. Schofield might… Read More »
Sydney form reigned in this year’s Victoria Derby with Stormy Marco making light of a seven-day back-up to claim Saturday’s first $3 million running of the 2500-metre Group 1 Flemington. The Chris Waller -trained colt posted his first win at the highest level when he carried champion rider James Mcdonald to a dominant… Read More »
Trainer Ciaron Maher put his neck on the line when he went to $2.8 million to purchase The Next Episode on the Gold Coast as a yearling. However, that purchase price has been vindicated following The Next Episode’s victory in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on Saturday. Victory… Read More »
Jockey Harry Coffey is in serious doubt for Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup after suffering a collarbone injury in a heavy fall during the Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes at Flemington on Saturday. Coffey was dislodged from Pondalowie in the home straight after the field turned for home, with the jockey requiring… Read More »
Skyhook has claimed the $10 million Golden Eagle at Randwick, delivering a memorable Group 1 victory for trainers Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou and jockey Chad Schofield. The four-year-old capped off an outstanding preparation with a determined performance, holding off a strong challenge from Decorum to secure one of the… Read More »
Lady Shenandoah has continued her outstanding Spring Carnival campaign with another dominant Group 1 victory, taking out the 2026 Empire Rose Stakes at Flemington for trainer Chris Waller and jockey James McDonald. The star mare backed up her Toorak Handicap success with another impressive performance, adding a fifth Group 1… Read More »
