Mitch Freedman’s focus at Flemington last Saturday was on the Group 2 Gilgai Stakes, which he won with Skybird, but he was an interested observer of the Turnbull Stakes. The Ballarat trainer was excited to see Cosmic Crusader score a dominant 1-3/4-length win in the 2000-metre Group 1. The Freedman-trained… Read More »
Bjorn Baker is not taking up the opportunity to send Warwoven to Caulfield for Tuesday morning’s traditional Guineas Week track gallops, but the star colt will continue his familiarisation with another strong workout the Melbourne way of going at home in Sydney. The Golden Rose winner ramped up preparations for this… Read More »
Half Yours, the 2025 Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup winning hero, will push forward to his defence of the Caufield Cup with a change of jockey in the form of Mark Zahra after his regular rider Jamie Melham elected to ride the Bjorn Baker trained Blue Door in the $20… Read More »
Trainer Tyler Donald-Aitken is set to saddle his first runner in a Group 1 contest when Welcometotheshow runs at Caulfield. Welcometotheshow is being aimed at the Toorak Handicap (1600m) on Saturday after registering his first Stakes race victory at Flemington on September 12. Donaldson-Aitken took Welcometotheshow to Caulfield Heath on… Read More »
A desire to keep Flying For Fun to shorter distances for now has prompted Bryce Heys to focus his attention on Melbourne and a shot at the Schillaci Stakes. The dual black-type winner is set to be nominated for Saturday’s 1100m Caulfield sprint after resuming with an eye-catching effort behind… Read More »
The Sean and Jake Casey trained Want A Winner came home an emphatic winner of the $1 million Golden Saddle, comprehensively outgunning the $3.50 second favourite Cessation in the run home to score by a clearcut 2.74 length margin. Want A Winner made a mockery of his starting price of… Read More »
The $150 000 Kalgoorlie Cup did not go to script as all of the three main fancies failed to find a place … with the race going to the $12 chance Royal Law (in from $15) Royal who scored narrowly from the $61 bolter Sowar … who would have won… Read More »
Ben Melham and Perth-based jockey Austin Galati have both been fined by Racing Victoria stewards following a dramatic finish to Saturday’s Group 2 Gilgai Stakes (1200m) at Flemington. The two riders were charged under AR131(b) for failing to ride their respective mounts out to the finish, with just 0.06 lengths… Read More »
Leading jockey Jamie Melham will miss next Saturday’s three-Group 1 meeting at Caulfield after being suspended for careless riding at Flemington. Racing Victoria stewards handed Melham a 10-meeting suspension following Saturday’s Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m). Melham partnered last year’s Cups star Half Yours into fourth place in the Flemington… Read More »
Find out what the jockeys made of their mounts after the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington. Winning jockey: “First of all, thank you to Mr Peters and his family. They were backing me from the get-go even when I put in a bit of an iffy one a… Read More »
Find out what the jockeys made of their mounts after the Group 2 $1 million Premiere Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick, where Tempted produced a dominant performance ahead of The Everest. Chad Schofield (Tempted): “The problem is she runs past them in 50m so I don’t really know how to… Read More »
Find out what the jockeys made of their mounts after the Group 1 $1.5 million Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Royal Randwick, where God’s Window gave Siena Grima a memorable first Group 1 victory. Siena Grima (God’s Window): “I galloped him Thursday, and he just gave me the most incredible feel…. Read More »
Depending on when you are reading this, trainer Mitchell Freedman and favourite backers may only just have exhaled as a unique characteristic nearly brought Skybird undone in the Gilgai Stakes at Flemington. Sent out the $2.90 market elect, Skybird looked set for an easy victory as jockey Ben Melham eased… Read More »
Pakenham-based Andrea Leek has registered her biggest success with Cosmic Crusader taking out the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington. And Leek hopes to return to head-quarters for Australia’s weight-for-age championship, the Cox Plate with the Perth-owned galloper to chase an even bigger prize. The Cox Plate is traditionally run at Moonee… Read More »
Chris Waller trained his 207th career Group 1 winner and a record-equalling seventh Epsom Handicap success with God’s Window but he was the first to admit apprentice Siena Grima was the story. Siena Grima, 24, Sydney’s reigning premier apprentice, was competing in her first Group 1 race and became only… Read More »
Tempted has laid down the challenge to Hong Kong champion Ka Ying Rising with a devastating performance to win the Premiere Stakes at Randwick and all but secure owner Godolphin’s Everest slot. While not announced officially, Tempted will represent the global operation in the October 17 showpiece provided she comes… Read More »
The Ciaron Maher stable has secured another ‘Golden Ticket’ into the Melbourne Cup with the victory of Mr Monaco at Flemington. Mr Monaco took out the Group 3 The Bart Cummings (2500m) on Saturday to receive a ballot exemption into the Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 3. Shockletz… Read More »
The Metropolitan’s downgrade to Group 2 status wasn’t an issue for jockey Sam Clipperton after he scored his biggest win since coming out of retirement when successful aboard Juja Kibo in the Randwick staying feature. Clipperton hung up his saddle just over a year after he captured the 2023 Everest… Read More »
While many had been questioning how The Next Episode had come up following his two-year-old season, the Ciaron Maher stable had not lost faith. That faith was vindicated on Saturday when The Next Episode took out the Group 2 Danehill Stakes (1100m) at Flemington, which in turn will set the… Read More »
John Sargent, the master trainer of three-year-old fillies, unearthed another rising star in Global Goal, an exciting winner in a three-way thriller for the Group 1 $750,000 Flight Stakes (1600m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday. Sargent has trained many outstanding fillies over the years including Kirramosa, Quintessential, Four Moves Ahead,… Read More »
