Tenbury Wells has arrived at a stage in life where Brad Widdup needs to find out if he can play with the big boys. The progressive colt will face his toughest test as a three-year-old in Saturday’s $500,000 Group 3 Gloaming Stakes (1800m) at Rosehill. He steps up from maiden and Class… Read More »
Mayne faces a steep rise in class in Saturday’s Tapp-Craig at Rosehill, but it is not as sharp as the one that connections considered. The three-year-old’s only two starts have been in maidens, but such is the opinion Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald have of the son of Written Tycoon that they… Read More »
Gai Waterhouse is excited about testing Royal Patronage out to 1900 metres in this Saturday’s Hill Stakes at Rosehill. The import will back up in the $2 million Group 2 after finishing third in last weekend’s Group 1 Epsom Handicap. That 1600m event was the third run of Royal Patronage’s debut Australian… Read More »
South Australian trainers Dan Clarken and Oopy Macgillivray got the tick of approval from Jamie Kah that The Map was back on track for her tilt at the Melbourne Cup. Kah, currently suspended, headed to Murray Bridge during the week to ride The Map ahead of the Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes (2400m)… Read More »
No one would bat an eyelid if Dom Sutton talked up Feroce’s appearance in Saturday’s $3 million Group 1 Caulfield Guineas as the culmination of a plan he made when he first laid eyes on him. The NZ$160,000 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale purchase is a son of 2019 Guineas… Read More »
Mitchell Pateman is hoping class shines through when the gates of Ascot are opened for the new season on Saturday. The young Ascot horseman will present stable star Almighty Class at the races off the back of two excellent 950m trial wins at Lark Hill. It will be the first time… Read More »
Trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr have elected to keep Vibrant Sun against her own sex as she builds towards a Group 1 assignment later in the Spring. Vibrant Sun runs in the Catanach’s 150 Years Vase (1600m) at Caulfield on Saturday as she builds her fitness levels for the Group… Read More »
The Murray Bridge stable of Dan Clarken and Oopy MacGillivray are hoping for a big pay day with three live chances, in two states. Their Melbourne Cup hope The Map heads to Caulfield on Saturday to contest the Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes (2400m), while on their home track they will have… Read More »
Being allocated the outside alley in the Group 1 Toorak Handicap encouraged James Cummings to revert to the original plan with Pericles, but the star trainer is confident he will cope with the extra distance of the Hill Stakes. The five-year-old son of Street Boss, whose three runs this campaign have… Read More »
After a successful campaign over the short course at Moonee Valley that netted a Group 1 win, Mornington Glory is set to step up in trip at Caulfield. Mornington Glory won three consecutive 1000m race at The Valley through August and September, culminating in the Group 1 Moir Stakes which provided… Read More »
Fawkner Park, once considered a favourite for the Caulfield Cup, has been officially withdrawn from the Group 1 race set for next week. The decision was confirmed by Nathan Bennett, managing owner of Bennett Racing, with further veterinary checks scheduled for Friday to determine the horse’s spring plans. Trainer Annabel… Read More »
In-form galloper Evaporate will look to break a 30-year-old run of outs in the Caulfield Guineas for the Lindsay Park stable. St Covet was the last three-year-old to win the Guineas for Lindsay Park back in 1994 when prepared by David Hayes. His sons, Ben, Will and J D Hayes are… Read More »
The who’s who of racing names based in Melbourne’s south-east have taken up slots for two races to be held by Southside Racing. The two $1 million races will be staged on Cranbourne Cup Day, November 23 and on Pakenham Cup Day, December 21. Each slot costs the holder $100,000… Read More »
Switzerland and Gatsby’s have not yet scaled the lofty heights the stable had in mind earlier this Spring, but Chris Waller is hopeful quieter rides could see improved performances. The two Snitzel colts will both step out in the $300,000 Group 2 Roman Consul Stakes at Rosehill. The 1200-metre event will be just… Read More »
Former Clerk of the Course John ‘Patto’ Patterson, famous for leading in the winners of the Melbourne Cup at Flemington, has died. As chief Clerk of the Course at Flemington, Patterson led in his first Melbourne Cup winner when Rain Lover scored in the famous Flemington race in 1969 with… Read More »
Annabel Neasham is unsure if she has a Spring Champion Stakes horse in her stable, but she expects to have a better idea this weekend. The top Sydney trainer , who operates in partnership with Rob Archibald, has accepted with three horses, Firm Agreement, San Gabriel and Cristal Clear, in the $500,000… Read More »
British trainer David Eustace secured his first win as a sole trainer in Hong Kong with Swift Ascend in the Class 4 Harbour View Handicap (1200m) at Happy Valley. The victory marked a significant milestone for the 32-year-old, who previously trained in partnership with Ciaron Maher in Australia, where he… Read More »
Delta Blues, the first Japanese horse to win the Melbourne Cup, has passed away at the age of 24 due to complications from laminitis, a painful hoof condition. The historic Melbourne Cup winner made his mark in 2006, defeating fellow Japanese horse Pop Rock in a thrilling finish, with just… Read More »
More than 800km separates Leonora and Muchea, but that hasn’t stopped Peter Bamford from venturing to the northern Goldfields with a team of runners at Saturday’s Leonora Cup. Bamford, who is based at Muchea, will saddle up Zorro’s Aim, Smokey Mountain, Reaction and Ima Wild Girl at the Leonora Racing Club’s (LRC)… Read More »
Multiple Group placegetter French Endeavour earned her way back into some better races after snapping a 13-month winning drought on Wednesday. The Matthew Smith-trained four-year-old outclassed her rivals to score a dominant win in the $60,000 Precise Air F&M BM78 Handicap (1400m) at the meeting on Randwick’s Kensington track. The victory… Read More »
