Dylan Gibbons has celebrated his maiden Group 1 win aboard comeback galloper Explosive Jack, running down outsider True Marvel in the final bounds in a thrilling Sydney Cup finish. The gifted apprentice had been knocking on the door for a major and his moment came in one of the most difficult and… Read More »
Almost two decades after his last visit to Randwick, New Zealand horseman James Wallace has pulled off a rare cross-Tasman double with Pennyweka adding the ATC Australian Oaks to her New Zealand Oaks victory. Wallace was a frequent visitor to Australia during the early 2000s with his multiple Group 1 winner Cent… Read More »
Trainer Lloyd Kennewell admitted being on edge prior to the running of a Stakes race at Sandown. Kennewell had the $3 betr favourite I Am Unstoppable engaged in the Listed Redoute’s Choice Stakes (1200m) on Saturday. A big fan of the I Am Invincible breed, Kennewell said I Am Unstoppable was potentially the best youngster he has trained…. Read More »
A rails hugging ride has provided the connections of Curran with a rich Good Friday payday at Geelong. The Lyn Tolson and Leonie Proctor-trained sprinter took out the second running of The Country Discovery (1100m) on Friday. The Country Discovery was the feature race on the Good Friday program which sees… Read More »
Irish trainer Joseph O’Brien has employed a slightly different approach in his bid to add the Sydney Cup to his brace of Melbourne Cup trophies. O’Brien won Australia’s most famous race with Rekindling in 2017 and Twilight Payment in 2020, both horses capturing the two-mile feature at their Australian debuts…. Read More »
Mike Moroney is banking on a rain-affected track proving pivotal for import Alenquer when he heads to Sydney to take on heavyweights Anamoe and Dubai Honour in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes. A Group 1 winner in Ireland, Alenquer disappointed at his Australian debut when he failed to beat a runner home in the… Read More »
Track conditions will be of little concern for Grahame Begg with his runners in two of the feature races at Sandown. Begg will saddle Cardinal Gem in the Group 3 Victoria Handicap (1400m) and Lunar Flare in the Group 3 Easter Cup (2100m) with both holding form on good and wet ground. Rain is predicted at Sandown… Read More »
In the post-Winx era, finding the next weight-for-age champion in Australian racing has been a challenge. However, as trainer James Cummings prepares Anamoe for his final Australian run on Saturday, he believes the Godolphin star has already carved out his own path to fame, with his finest moment potentially still… Read More »
The most experienced two-miler in the Sydney Cup field, Victorian Amade will bid to follow in the footsteps of stablemate Daqiansweet Junior when he lines up in the $2 million race. Daqiansweet Junior finished third in last year’s renewal and trainer Phillip Stokes can see parallels between his two stayers. “Last year we… Read More »
Last time warrior racehorse Kementari visited Western Australia he was photographed on the airport tarmac sticking out his tongue to local rivals. He had grounds for cheeky confidence going into The Gold Rush in December, having won the forerunner to the race in 2020. However, Kementari ran seventh, which may… Read More »
The saying goes that ‘it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish’, but sometimes it’s how you handle the bits in between. As trainer James Cummings puts the finishing touches to Anamoe ahead of the superstar’s clash with European raider Dubai Honour in Saturday’s Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick, he… Read More »
Trainer Jerome Hunter will keep a watchful eye on the weather fearing a wet track will keep Barb Raider at home. Barb Raider is schedule to start in the Group 3 Easter Cup (2100m) at Sandown on Saturday, but rain is expected on Friday and Saturday. Hunter does not want to start… Read More »
The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr are pinning their faith in Loco to provide them with a second straight South Australian Derby success. But first Loco has to continue to impress the training duo with his climb up the ranks and the son of So You Think will have his third race start… Read More »
Having seen Alcohol Free first-hand in England, rival trainer William Haggas concedes the $10 million mare has a mortgage on the Queen Of The Turf Stakes â if she brings her European form to Australia. Haggas will start Purplepay in Saturday’s Group 1 race and while he is expecting a much-improved performance from… Read More »
A conversation in the jockeys’ room at Hawkesbury has Gary Portelli optimistic he might just pull off the unthinkable with Fireburn in the ATC Australian Oaks. Portelli didn’t realistically believe last year’s Golden Slipper winner would stretch to a middle-distance in the Vinery Stud Stakes, let alone be in contention for Saturday’s… Read More »
The Mike Moroney stable will have a two-pronged attack on one of the feature races on Easter Saturday at Sandown. Buffalo River will run first-up in the Group 3 Victoria Handicap (1400m) in which he will be joined by last start winner Not An Option. US-bred Buffalo River has not raced since finishing… Read More »
In the words of the Alicia Keys song … this girl is on fire. Not that long ago, even this far out from the finish line, it was generally accepted that Jimmy Orman, the defending Brisbane Jockey Premiership winner, looked to be on a victory march to a second successive… Read More »
Regardless of what happens in the remainder of Anamoe’s career, his 2022/2023 season is going to be spoken of for many years to come. The son of Street Boss would be an unbackable favourite to be crowned Australia’s Champion Horse of the Year, thanks to six Group 1 wins, headlined… Read More »
Race experience has paved the way for Critique taking out his maiden victory at Ballarat. A rich restricted two-year-old race could be on the agenda for the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Critique after his win at Ballarat. The $1 million The Showdown (1200m) at Sandown on Saturday week looms as… Read More »
Albany trainer Roy Rogers believes Big Bada Boom can improve a couple of spots after plans to win a maiden stakes victory in the Listed Grandstand Cup (1500m) were scuppered early in the race. Having his first attempt in black type company three weeks back, Big Bada Boom failed to muster… Read More »
