Jockey Kristy Bennett remains in a critical but stable condition in the intensive care unit at Gold Coast University Hospital following a serious fall at the Gold Coast trials earlier this week. An update issued by the Queensland Jockeys’ Association confirmed Bennett is expected to remain in ICU for at… Read More »
Patrick Kearney’s love for the Swan Hill Carnival reached new levels on Friday when Cripps provided the young Ballarat trainer with his first success in one of the popular weekend’s major events. The four-year-old son of Magnus, who is named after dual Brownlow medallist Patrick Cripps, landed the biggest payday… Read More »
Trainer Grahame Begg is looking to use a former multiple Stakes winner as a yardstick for promising filly Biologics. The Listed Creswick Sprint Series Final (1200m) at Flemington on July 4 is potentially on Biologics’ agenda, but first there is the VRC Community Race Day Sprint (1200m) at Flemington on Saturday. Biologics created… Read More »
Matt Cumani’s chances of winning Saturday’s Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour Trophy at Flemington were not only enhanced by Ciaron Maher’s decision to keep Decalogue in Sydney, it doubled his representation in the race. Cumani now has the favourite, Brave Danza, for the $150,000 event over 2000 metres, along with Think… Read More »
The Ciaron Maher stable has placed a lot of faith in Tasmanian apprentice Jabez Johnstone who has recently joined the stable on a three-month loan. Johnstone has ridden four winners since Sunday, including a double for Maher at Sandown on Wednesday, and has a strong book of eight rides at Flemington on Saturday,… Read More »
Group 1 winner Vibrant Sun and Perth stakes winner Toropa headlined a record-breaking Magic Millions Digital Sale, helping drive turnover beyond $1.65 million. Strong domestic and international demand saw the sale return a clearance rate of 74 per cent and an average price of $21,742, with the unreserved dispersals from… Read More »
Connections of Belmont Gold Cup winner have had their interest piqued for a Melbourne Cup tilt after Tawny Port outstayed his rivals under the New York sunshine to take out the Grade 2 staying feature and earning a golden ticket into Australia’s most famous race. Trained by Miguel Clement, Tawny… Read More »
The off-season winter races in Sydney invariably throw up a handful of emerging black-type performers, and Big Red Tequila is shaping as a mare worth tracking into the future. A daughter of Cox Plate winner Shamus Award, the four-year-old has been given a typically patient grounding by trainer Joe Pride,… Read More »
Past and present will collide when jockey Rachel King teams up with young trainer Jack Bruce to partner his first Group One runner, Highgrove Rose, in the Queensland Oaks. King is an integral part of the Bjorn Baker stable and rides predominantly for him in Sydney, while Bruce formerly worked… Read More »
The Phillip Stokes-trained Portarlington has the credentials to score at Morphettville Parks, but the significantly wet track is playing on the mind of connections. Portarlington is the $1.75 early favourite in betting on the Quayclean Handicap (1250m) on Saturday, something that has assistant-trainer Kerrin Stokes a little nervous. Of the… Read More »
A high percentage of feature races in Western Australia since the start of summer have produced riveting finishes … the most recent example being Western Empire’s last stride win in the Group 3 Hyperion Stakes at Belmont last Saturday … and that competitive trend seems likely to continue when ten… Read More »
The Ciaron Maher stable is banking on a benchmark 100 race at Flemington being a springboard to spring riches for an Irish-bred import. Zahrann and stablemate Shockletz run in the Flemington Community Plate (2000m) on Saturday with expectations of a spring campaign, especially for the former, to come later in the year. Jack Turnbull, the National Assistant Trainer for Ciaron… Read More »
The Bjorn Baker trained Bernborough Handicap winner War Eternal will be looking to make it back-to-back wins in Listed company when he takes aim at the Spear Chief Handicap over 1500m at Eagle Farm on Saturday. The seven-year-old son of Pierro’s win in the Bernborough, which was contested over 1600m,… Read More »
A first-up run that didn’t go to plan has had Oh Diamond Lil on the backfoot, but trainer David Pfieffer is confident the mare is ready to rebound in the $500,000 Magic Millions National Classic at Eagle Farm. A Group 3 winner in the spring, Oh Diamond Lil was solid… Read More »
Young gun Zac Lloyd will take invaluable step in his all round growth as a jockey when he embarks on another experience gathering exercise at Doncaster this weekend where he have his first race ride in Britain on Ruler Of Time for no less a stable than that of Charlie… Read More »
Malcolm Johnson can rest easy at this time, knowing that, at the end of the weekend, he will still have his name in the record books as having ridden the most Group 1 winners (sixteen) in a season, a distinction he currently shares with James McDonald who drew alongside Johnson… Read More »
If Joe Pride has one reservation over the first-up chances of Accredited in the Bob Charley AO Stakes at Randwick, it is the presence of two stablemates. The six-year-old will clash with Dragonstone and The Black Cloud In Saturday’s Listed sprint, and given two of Accredited three minor placings over… Read More »
Taking on more seasoned sprinters in the Magic Millions Sunlight might have come too soon for the promising Ice Kool, but trainer David Pfieffer says the horse has gleaned plenty of positives from the experience. The three-year-old resumes in Saturday’s Cornerstone Risk Group Handicap (1000m) at Randwick after an initial… Read More »
A year in racing can be a long time, but it seems like only yesterday that Cranbourne-based trainer Robbie Laing died. This writer spoke to Laing in the days leading up to what would be his final runner El Soleado contesting a race at Flemington on the King’s Birthday weekend. We joked how we both needed… Read More »
An opportunity to run exclusively against his own age has resulted in two-year-old Rebel Royal bypassing a midweek assignment for a Saturday grade race at Randwick. The Tulloch Lodge youngster was scratched from Warwick Farm on Wednesday – the event won by his year-older stablemate Lady Invictus – in preference… Read More »
