Early on, Dubbo trainer Peter Nestor developed a good opinion of Murphy’s Blu Boy gelding Lucky Murphy. Nestor’s belief was vindicated when Lucky Murphy impressively won a Country Plate at Mudgee on debut in December last year. Unfortunately for Nestor and the gelding’s syndicate of owners, Lucky Murphy then suffered… Read More »
Big Buck’s will face a maximum of seven rivals when he seeks to win the Long Distance Hurdle for the fourth year running at Newbury on Saturday. Paul Nicholls’ crack performer is unbeaten in 17 races since he returned to hurdles after unseating Sam Thomas in the Hennessy at the… Read More »
French horse racing stewards will meet next week to decide whether to take further action against jockey Frankie Dettori over his positive drug test. The British-based rider tested positive for an unidentified banned substance on September 16 at Longchamp. The medical committee of the French horse racing association temporarily suspended… Read More »
Black Caviar’s unraced two-year-old half-sister now has a name – Belle Couture. The filly had been known as “Pippa”, after the sister of the Duchess of Cambridge, until a racing name was decided by her owners. A daughter of Redoute’s Choice out of Helsinge, the filly was purchased by BC3… Read More »
Regardless of the results of Monday’s extensive concussion tests, injured jockey Michelle Payne says she will definitely retire from riding within two years. The Group One-winning rider has had a series of tumbles and a number of concussions, the most recent of which followed a fall from Julinsky at Ararat… Read More »
Gary Portelli’s faith in All The Talk remains firm despite a first-up defeat but it’s not enough to stop him from employing two gear changes for the colt’s Warwick Farm assignment. All The Talk was highly-rated by Portelli leading into his debut in an 1100m Rosehill race where he sat… Read More »
A steady flow of money for the Sydney sprinter Sea Siren has forced bookmakers to continue to trim her price ahead of Sunday week’s Hong Kong International Sprint (1200m). Sea Siren opened at $3.80 with Centrebet which has been hit with a series of big bets since business opened on… Read More »
In-form jockey Brad Rawiller will be back in the saddle at Caulfield on Saturday thanks to a hefty reduction in a careless riding suspension. The Racing Appeals and Disciplinary (RAD) Board effectively cut the suspension Rawiller incurred at Warrnambool last Thursday from 14 meetings to six, allowing him to ride… Read More »
A devastated Tony McEvoy has barred stable jockey Matthew Neilson from riding his horses outside South Australia after he weighed in almost 1kg over on Mouro at Moonee Valley on Saturday. And the ban could have an immediate effect on Neilson who would otherwise have ridden the McEvoy-trained import Le… Read More »
Impressive mare Conferre will be out to maintain a winning streak in the Ascend Handicap at Sandown on Wednesday. Conferre edged out Rock Robster by a slender margin at Moonee Valley two weeks ago – her third win in a row – and is poised to repeat the performance when… Read More »
The long-awaited redevelopment of Eagle Farm and Doomben racecourses is a step closer to reality. The Brisbane City Council has approved a $1.2 billion masterplan for a major redevelopment of land surrounding the two racecourses. “There was a significant risk that one of these tracks would’ve been lost because of… Read More »
Darley’s high-profile three-year-olds Epaulette and Albrecht will be kept apart during the autumn to chase Group One Guineas success in two states. Albrecht, who was denied by stablemate Epaulette in a one-two Darley finish to the Group One Golden Rose in September, is being readied for an early 2013 campaign… Read More »
Warwick Farm mare Dreamworker is to be withdrawn from what her trainer thinks is a winnable midweek race to chase overdue stakes success at her home track at the weekend. Dreamworker is an acceptor for the stayers’ race on the Australian Turf Club card at Newcastle on Wednesday but she… Read More »
The Luca Cumani-trained Mount Athos is one of two English stayers who have been ruled out of the Hong Kong Vase. Mount Athos disappointed the Cumani stable with his Japan Cup effort, bringing to an end an international campaign that started with his luckless fifth in the Melbourne Cup. The… Read More »
David Pfieffer is banking on a return to the scene of Gai Choice’s only Group One placing to help the mare rediscover winning form. Gai’s Choice will continue a spring campaign that has yet to deliver anything worthwhile in Sydney or Melbourne when she runs in a Listed race for… Read More »
Sydney’s summer staying treble is the ambitious target for lightly-raced stayer King Utah, starting with Saturday’s Listed Frank Underwood Cup at Warwick Farm. Port Macquarie trainer Wayne Wilkes doesn’t go far from home unless he is convinced the trip will be worth his while and he has confidence King Utah… Read More »
Former Darwin trainer Stephen Brown has shrugged off a Moonee Valley misadventure of last weekend and is hoping his hardy campaigner Canali can change his luck at Caulfield on Saturday. Brown went to the Valley confident of success with Winter King in the open sprint, only to lose all chance… Read More »
Being a part of the Black Caviar entourage in England earlier this year was an experience Brett Cavanough won’t forget and one that inadvertently led to the resurrection of Bossdon City’s career. A one-time favourite for the 2011 Blue Diamond Stakes, Bossdon City’s bubble burst almost as soon as it… Read More »
The decision by talented apprentice Chad Schofield to remain in Victoria has been rewarded by another full book of rides at Wednesday’s Sandown race meeting. The South African-born teenager who started his riding career in Sydney almost two years ago has been in demand, even through the spring carnival when… Read More »
The jockey destined to keep rewriting Singapore racing’s record books has landed a ride in Australia’s final Group One race of the year. Brazilian maestro Joao Moreira, best known in Australia for his fly-in, fly-out missions to ride for Nathan Tinkler, has secured the mount on Fuddle Dee Duddle in… Read More »
