Fame And Glory will be aiming to give the Ballydoyle team a Classic double as he leads nine contenders for Saturday’s Irish St Leger at the Curragh. Trainer Aidan O’Brien is planning to take a helicopter to the track after watching Triple Crown-seeking Camelot try to complete his hat-trick in… Read More »
Experienced Taree trainer Ross Stitt admits to shock and amazement when assessing weights for Sunday’s $50,000 Dubbo Gold Cup. But Stitt, who saddles up last year’s winner Southern Shimmer, isn’t complaining. Far from it. Southern Shimmer was allotted the minimum 54kg. “I thought have they made a mistake or what,”… Read More »
Veteran trainer John Dunlop is to end his glittering career at the end of the current Flat season. Twice the winner of the Epsom Derby with Shirley Heights (1978) and Erhaab (1994), Dunlop, 73, also saddled the winners of three St Legers, three Thousand Guineas and two Oaks. Only the… Read More »
Outstanding sprinter-miler Mufhasa has been named New Zealand Horse of the Year for a second time. Mufhasa, who has won more than $3 million in his career, attracted 37 of the 43 votes on offer to repeat his award of 2010. Last season, the seven-year-old won two Group One races… Read More »
It’s been 33 years since female jockeys were allowed to race against men in Australia, yet many still have to share showers, toilets and change rooms with their male counterparts on race day. That’s why the Australian Jockeys Association (AJA) is calling for all states and territories to follow Victoria’s… Read More »
French pair Dunaden and Americain, winners of the past two Melbourne Cups, are among a group of horses to enter quarantine at Newmarket in England on Thursday. The first contingent of 16 European spring carnival contenders will spend two weeks in pre-export quarantine and complete another two weeks at Werribee… Read More »
Jason Coyle is happy to forge ahead with Sheraco Stakes plans for Emotional Circus, despite conceding it is almost mission impossible against star mare More Joyous. Coyle pinpointed the Listed 1200m fillies and mares contest at Rosehill as an ideal target for the talented sprinter 10 weeks ago, not knowing… Read More »
Three veteran geldings who have racked up 190 starts between them spearhead an intriguing Open Handicap at Doomben on Saturday. The 1200 metre sprint has attracted a field of 12 and it boasts three 10-year-olds – The Jackal, Motspur and Ollie Vollie. The evergreen trio have a wealth of experience,… Read More »
Promising three-year-old Stralia is the subject of an offer from Hong Kong believed to be around the million dollar mark. Mornington trainer Mark Riley was cagey about a price put on the gelding who has snared two wins from three starts, but said it would be “plenty”. Riley bought the… Read More »
If early markets are any indication, Gai Waterhouse is set to dominate the first Group One raceday of the Sydney spring. After taking the Sydney autumn carnival by storm, Waterhouse is poised to again make her presence felt in the major races with outstanding mare More Joyous leading the charge…. Read More »
Former West Australian mare Bliss Street faces “D-Day” at Moonee Valley on Saturday. Caulfield trainer Stuart Webb said Bliss Street’s performance in the Group Two Stock Stakes (1600m) could decide whether the four-year-old races on or heads to the breeding barn. Bliss Street won four times from five starts from… Read More »
Last year, Aeronautical lined up in Sydney’s richest spring race, the $1 million Golden Rose. After a frustrating 12 months, the four-year-old will get a start on the same race day, albeit in a lesser event. Saturday’s TAB Sprint (1200m) at Rosehill will be Aeronautical’s first start of the season,… Read More »
The spring stocks of trainer John Sadler have been dealt a blow with the retirement of Group winner Sister Madly. But that disappointment could be softened if reinvigorated gelding Linton can make a successful return at Moonee Valley in Saturday’s Group Two Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes (1600m). Sister Madly… Read More »
Strawberry Boy has figured in a change in plans but new jockey Tommy Berry doesn’t believe it will stop the up-and-coming stayer continuing his winning ways at Rosehill. After he won at Warwick Farm last weekend trainer Gai Waterhouse planned to take Strawberry Boy to the Naturalism Stakes (2000m) in… Read More »
Jockeys don’t always make the wisest decisions when given a choice of horses to ride in a race. But Darley trainer Peter Snowden believe Kerrin McEvoy has got it right by opting to partner Albrecht over stablemate Epaulette in Saturday’s $1 million Golden Rose. “He’s my pick of the two,”… Read More »
The Coffs Harbour-trained Poor Judge will line up for back-to-back country Cup wins in the Ballina Cup (1600m) on Friday. Prepared by Anthony Honess, the Group winning seven-year-old is coming off a runaway win in the Moree Cup (1400m) on September 2 at only his second start since joining the… Read More »
Excelebration and Farhh are set to clash in Sunday’s Prix du Moulin at Longchamp. The pair would both have considerably more Group One victories to their name if it were not for the existence of Frankel, but for once Sir Henry Cecil’s champion is not among the field. Excelebration won… Read More »
Mick Kinane took the honours on Patriotic with a narrow win in the Legends Classified Stakes at Doncaster. A field of 16 ex-jockeys had gathered for the only charity race held in Britain under the Rules of Racing and the man who came home in front was perhaps the most… Read More »
Frankel is to have a racecourse gallop at Newmarket on Saturday week as he builds up to what is likely to be the final start of his career. Trainer Sir Henry Cecil has decided against giving the unbeaten superstar a run between last month’s Juddmonte International Stakes and the Champion… Read More »
Having been involved in the early careers of horses such as So You Think, trainer John Thompson knows the “X-factor” when he sees it. And he believes Nechita, the filly he’ll saddle up as favourite in Saturday’s $1 million Golden Rose (1400m), has just that. Before being appointed trainer for… Read More »
