Snaring a riding contract in Hong Kong is a much sought-after privilege. Fair to say, you don’t receive one unless you have earned it. The fact that Ben Thompson has got the call-up is due reward for his hard work over recent seasons which has brought him an ever-progressive rise… Read More »
A protest lodged by one of the Racing Victoria Stewards panel has been upheld at Sandown. Steward Ray Livingstone lodged the objection following the running of the Senet Gambling Law Experts Handicap (1600m) on Wednesday. Fine Rebel, ridden by Tayla Childs, crossed the line a neck ahead of Eloped (Craig Williams)… Read More »
Golden Eagle winner Obamburumai will return to Sydney this autumn for the Doncaster Mile with Josh Parr confirming he has been booked for the Group 1 ride. Parr partnered the Japanese-trained horse to win the $10 million Golden Eagle in the spring, replacing superstar jockey Yutaka Take , who was injured in a race… Read More »
The Anthony and Sam Freedman stable hope a gelding operation will allow Et Tu Brute to fulfill the promise he had shown the trainers early in his career. Having his first start as a gelding at Sandown on Wednesday, Et Tu Brute overcame a slow start to score a convincing win in… Read More »
Sydney Swans’ star Tom Papley has upstaged Hollywood actor Matt Damon to win the opening race at Randwick’s Kensington meeting with first starter Getafix. One of the Swans’ most high-profile players, Papley part-owns Getafix with a couple of his former teammates, Ryan Clarke and Paddy McCartin. While Papley was in… Read More »
Annabel Neasham will rely on Pushpa to fly the flag for the stable in the juvenile races at Rosehill, hopeful the filly can emulate the feat of stablemate Learning To Fly by winning the Widden Stakes on debut. While Neasham won’t have a runner in the Canonbury Stakes (1100m) for the colts and… Read More »
The Lindsay Park stable of Ben, Will and J D Hayes will get a better understanding of their latest debutant after he races at Caulfield. Evaporate faces six opponents at his first start when he heads to the Group 3 Chairman’s Stakes (1100m) on Saturday. The son of Per Incanto, who… Read More »
Jockey Ben Thompson says it is a dream come true to be given the opportunity to ride in Hong Kong on a short-term eight-week stint. The former Victorian apprentice who is now one of the leading riders in Queensland, was contacted on Monday and given the green light to travel less… Read More »
Former star mare Verry Elleegant will have a Group 1 race at Randwick renamed in her honour. The Australian Turf Club has announced the Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) will be rebranded as the Verry Elleegant Stakes from this year as a tribute to the 2021 Melbourne Cup winner. Trained by Chris… Read More »
Following his 10th placing in the Listed Bagot Handicap (2800m) at Flemington on January 1, Regal Power has been retired. Regal Power ends his career as an eight-year-old and off the back of 41 starts since his debut at Belmont Park in 2018. The son of Pierro won 10 races, placed eight times… Read More »
Trainers of rivals to Alligator Blood feel for the gelding’s connections after the multiple Group 1 winner has been forced out of the autumn through injury. Alligator Blood suffered a serious leg injury, and may not race again, news that saddened two young rival trainers. The Lindsay Park operation of Ben,… Read More »
The Lindsay Park stable of Ben,Will and J D Hayes says nothing should be read into the fact multiple Group 1 winner Mr Brightside has missed a trial at Geelong. Instead of trialling over 1000m on Tuesday, the Lindsay Park stable is keeping to their proven method of trialling on the Friday ahead of… Read More »
Giga Kick’s return to the racing arena that he illuminated so brightly with, amongst others, his win in The Everest as well as his triumphs in The All Aged and Doomben 10,000 (both Group 1 races), is still on hold as trainer Clayton Douglas awaits a further veterinary test next… Read More »
The news of a probable career ending injury to Alligator Blood is not the way racing enthusiasts want to see any horse bow out, particularly after a career which has had it all … from excellence to adversity, from glory to controversy, from reaching heights to combating the lows. But,… Read More »
Nearly a dozen individual Group One winners showed their stuff at the Warwick Farm trials on Tuesday with the first three heats for group and listed horses on the course proper stacked with talent. The first trial, over 1000m, was won by Godolphin gelding Pericles, who was last seen running… Read More »
Now the 2023 Longines World’s Best Racehorse with a rating of 135, Equinox is the highest rated Japanese horse ever with El Condor Pasa in 1999 receiving a 134 ranking. Earning this rating in his final career start, the Japan Cup in Association with Longines he scored by four lengths… Read More »
With the Golden Slipper and Blue Diamond coming up fast, we are seeing important lead ups every week and once more both Rosehill and Caulfield have Group 3s on show. The G3 Canonbury Stakes (1100m) has been won by some good horses including Golden Slipper winners like Vancouver and Sebring…. Read More »
Cult galloper Alligator Blood may have run his last race, with trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott confirming the star galloper had sustained an injury to his pastern, located between the fetlock and top of the hoof. The seven-year-old gelding won a trial at Rosehill on Thursday morning under regular jockey Tim Clark however… Read More »
The independent review into the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission (QRIC), announced by the Queensland Racing Minister Grace Grace in December, gets under way today when a steering committee will meet for the first time. While the review covers all three codes, Cameron Partington, from the Queensland’s Thoroughbred Alliance’s, will be… Read More »
Kelsey Hannan, who suffered a fall at Strathalbyn on Sunday, has been brought out of an induced coma in which she was placed after drifting in and out of consciousness after the fall. The New Zealand born, now South Australian based apprentice, was air-lifted to Royal Adelaide Hospital amid serious… Read More »
