Eight juveniles paid up for the $1 million Blue Diamond Stakes are set to clash in Saturday’s Listed Chairman’s Stakes at Caulfield. The Melbourne Racing Club received 49 entries for the February 23 feature when third declarations were taken this week. David Hayes, a five-time Blue Diamond-winning trainer, has the… Read More »
Group One placegetter Said Com headlines Saturday’s Rosehill meeting and it is no coincidence he is kicking off his campaign early. The Randwick Guineas runner-up is one of the first carnival horses to resume ahead of the autumn, launching his campaign in Saturday’s Jackie McIlrick Handicap (1400m). Said Com boasts… Read More »
Keen to capitalise on a lack of numbers, trainer David Jolly will almost certainly run South Australian mare Avoid Lightning at Caulfield on Saturday. Jolly has also entered the stakes-winning sprinter for a race in Adelaide but with only seven acceptors for the Listed WJ Adams Stakes (1000m) in Melbourne,… Read More »
Stewards ruled against Larry Cassidy on two counts after his eventful ride aboard So Delicious at Eagle Farm on Wednesday. Heavily backed from $5 into $3.10, So Delicious missed the start by several lengths then encountered a checkered passage in the straight before finishing fifth to Buakaw in the Sequalo… Read More »
Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s decision to call a September election means polling day will clash with one of Sydney’s major race meetings of the spring. Gillard has set election day for September 14, right in the middle of the Sydney carnival. The corresponding weekend last year hosted the $1 million… Read More »
Trainer Kelly Schweida is relying on Better Than Ready’s excellent fresh record to offset some fitness concerns when the colt resumes at Rosehill on Saturday. Better Than Ready left Brisbane on Wednesday bound for Sydney where he will run in the Spotless Sprint (1100m). The colt is unbeaten first-up and… Read More »
Australian Cup hopeful My Quest For Peace has been ruled out of the autumn due to a lung infection. The imported galloper arrived in Australia under the care of Luca Cumani last spring and contested the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups, finishing fifth and 10th respectively. He remained in Victoria after… Read More »
Six-time Group One-winning mare Midday has given birth to her first foal at Banstead Manor Stud and now has a date with Frankel. The Sir Henry Cecil-trained daughter of Oasis Dream was retired at the end of 2011 after winning her third successive Nassau Stakes at Goodwood. She also won… Read More »
Australia and New Zealand are expected to have scarce representation in Dubai this year, following the release of nominations for Dubai World Cup night.
The man who ended Sir Patrick Hogan’s 31 year stranglehold as king of the New Zealand sale ring says he’s thankful to Sir Patrick for his support in getting his farm started. Gordon Cunningham of Curraghmore Stud ended the long reign of Sir Patrick Hogan, who had earned more dollars… Read More »
After 31 years, Sir Patrick Hogan has provisionally been toppled as the leading vendor at the New Zealand Premier Yearling Sale at Karaka. Curraghmore Stud has taken the title, selling 21 yearlings for a total of $NZ7.485 million ($A6.04 million) to earn the accolade by $430,000. Gordon Cunningham’s farm from… Read More »
Any hope of Hay List defending his Newmarket Handicap win evaporated when trainer John McNair was told he would have to carry 59.5 kilograms in the famous sprint. “I wasn’t happy when he had 58-1/2 last year so with 59-1/2 he’s no hope in the wide world,” McNair told AAP…. Read More »
Hosting has been pinpointed as the likely flag bearer for Greg Eurell’s autumn team and takes the first major step towards realising his potential at Caulfield on Saturday. The three-year-old is the winner of his only start at Mornington last August and Eurell is setting him on a path that… Read More »
The prospect of a wet track at Rosehill on Saturday has forced a change of plans for unbeaten colt Rebel Dane who will be saved for another day. Trainer Gary Portelli confirmed Rebel Dane would now begin his autumn campaign in the Royal Sovereign Stakes on February 16. Fellow Warwick… Read More »
Unbeaten Perth galloper Barakey has come through a vital test ahead of his intended Melbourne visit with a comfortable trial win at Belmont Park on Tuesday. The winner of each of his 11 starts, Barakey toyed with his opposition in a hit-out that satisfied Jim Taylor the five-year-old was ready… Read More »
Long-time Muswellbrook trainer Jeff Englebrecht has relocated to Wyong leaving a cloud of dust in his wake. Coal dust from the controversial open cut mines in the upper Hunter Valley was a determining factor in Englebrecht’s move to the Central Coast which he completed at the weekend. It took three… Read More »
A hit-out against older horses at Cranbourne on Tuesday has promising colt Crack A Roadie on target for his autumn missions including the Group One Blue Diamond Stakes. Trainer Stephen Theodore, in New Zealand for the Karaka yearling sales, said reports from Cranbourne were that Crack A Roadie trialled in… Read More »
A single burst of pure brilliance at Caulfield on Tuesday morning has put to rest any concerns lingering over last year’s Blue Diamond Stakes winner Samaready. It also got a week of high expectation off to a hopeful start for Peter Orton who will be up early again on Friday… Read More »
Australia’s most successful racing stables have made early bids for next month’s Hobart Cup, putting themselves in line for a $100,000 bonus. Entries for the first leg of a rich Tasmanian double include four from the Gai Waterhouse stable, headed by her Sandown Cup runner-up Reuben Percival and stablemate, Kinnersely,… Read More »
Australian trainer Peter Moody has secured the most expensive colt on day two of the Karaka Yearling Sale from the farm which gave him his first Group One winner. Moody, the underbidder on the $1.975 million ($1.6 million) colt sold on day one, paid $NZ775,000 ($A625,580) for a half-brother to… Read More »
