Chris Waller saw some positive signs in Manzoice’s first preparation as a gelding and he remains hopeful the Victoria Derby winner can continue to build on that this spring. The 2022 classic victor will be the first of Waller’s Group 1 brigade to kick off their season when he resumes in… Read More »
Who will be aboard star sprinter Giga Kick when he makes his return in the Concorde Stakes could become clearer next week when the gelding steps out in Sydney. The five-year-old had his most serious workout of what has been a lengthy campaign at Mornington on Wednesday when he finished second… Read More »
New Zealand trainer Ken Kelso is thrilled with the resuming trial of multiple Group 1 winner Legarto. The star mare won her 900m heat against a quality field, prompting Kelso to nominate her for the Cox Plate. Jockey Ryan Elliot has been impressed with Legarto’s improvement, noting she is better… Read More »
Aidan O’Brien has nominated his superstar galloper Auguste Rodin for both the Caulfield Cup and the Cox Plate. The six-time Group 1 winner, including last year’s English Derby and the Prince of Wales’s Stakes, is also in the mix for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, the Breeders Cup Turf,… Read More »
The nominations for the 2024 Cox Plate have been released with 137 horses entered for the MVRC’s feature event. While numbers for the Cox Plate were down from 178 12 months ago, there were 20 international gallopers entered, up from 17 last year, including three from Japan. The Moonee Valley… Read More »
The first declarations for the 2024 Caulfield Cup have today been released with 173 horses entered for MRC’s feature event. Total entries for the Caulfield Cup, 173, is two shy of the total in 2023, but the international representation of 36 is 12 more than last year. Julian Cook, Melbourne… Read More »
Luke Fernie was rapt with the run of Devoted in Melbourne on Saturday, driving ambitious Ascot carnival plans later this year. The Perth-owned six-year-old turned up for his Flemington challenge with a second placing behind Gentleman Roy in a 1410m handicap. Currently under the care of the Hayes brothers, Ben, JD… Read More »
After a winless winter campaign, the veteran gelding’s career isn’t finished yet and he’ll return to defend his Idyllic Prince Stakes (1300m) crown on August 24. Trainer Simon Miller said Valour Road is on song for his first-up run, albeit he’s mindful the nine-year-old is reaching the latter stages of a wonderful… Read More »
The spring picture has got a little clearer with the nominations closing for two of the three features in Melbourne, the Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate. Tuesday saw 173 horses entered for the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 19 while there were 137 nominations for the Group 1… Read More »
Ben Thompson, who is in Queensland enjoying a break from race riding, will head back to Hong Kong shortly to prepare for the start of what he hopes will be his first full season in that highly competitive racing precinct. “I go back in two weeks,” confirmed Thompson. “I’ll get… Read More »
The smile said it all … but, then again, Stephanie Thompson is seldom without a happy outlook at the track. But this was special in its own way. Back home for the current break in-between the Hong Kong seasons, where Steph’s husband and fellow jockey Ben now plies his trade,… Read More »
Trainer Ciaron Maher took advantage of giving Melbourne Cup favourite Circle Of Fire a look at Moonee Valley as the imported galloper builds his fitness ahead of the Melbourne Spring Carnival. Circle Of Fire sits on the fourth line of Caulfield Cup betting while he is the $11 Melbourne Cup favourite ahead… Read More »
Japanese star Prognosis is Racing Victoria’s prime target for this year’s Cox Plate. Paul Bloodworth, Racing Victoria’s international recruiter, confirmed that Prognosis’s connections are considering a Melbourne trip this spring. Prognosis, a six-year-old, boasts three Group 2 wins over 2000m in Japan and finished second to Romantic Warrior in last… Read More »
Last season’s cups champion, Without A Fight, is in a “grey period” of recovery from a tendon injury. Co-trainer Anthony Freedman is pleased with the horse’s progress but has yet to decide on his spring target, with a clearer decision expected in a month. Freedman hinted that if Without A… Read More »
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable is looking to bring two of last season’s leading two-year-olds to Melbourne in search of spring riches. Golden Slipper winner Lady Of Camelot is expected to commence her tilt at The Everest in the Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley next month… Read More »
James Cummings and the Godolphin race programmers will now get serious about putting Spring plans in place for some of their biggest names after a solid session of trials at Rosehill on Tuesday morning. Tom Kitten and Zardozi fought out one trial, Aft Cabin and Kallos ran one-two in another and Pericles was runner-up at a… Read More »
Every racehorse deserves the best post-racing life it can have … but the plain truth is that some will be luckier than others in that regard which is why it is so good to report one of the many heartwarming stories of a horse leaving racing on its own terms… Read More »
As has been well documented, there have been a number of subtle changes in the trainers ranks for the new season including, amongst others, two high profile stables realigning their positions with Paul Snowden stepping away from the Snowden training partnership, leaving his father Peter in sole charge as he… Read More »
Chris Waller is still not 100 percent sure what Riff Rocket’s entire Spring campaign will look like, but the dual Derby winner will be given his chance to prove he can be an elite-level open-age stayer. The four-year-old American Pharoah gelding will be among the entries for the Cox Plate (2040m) and… Read More »
Two of Victorian racing’s biggest names continued their spring preparations on Monday morning, just hours before being revealed as finalists in the year Victorian Racehorse Of The Year. Pride Of Jenni and Mr Brightside had jumpouts 60km apart prior to being announced as Horse Of The Year rivals alongside Imperatriz, Romantic Warrior and… Read More »
