With racing flowing through his veins, it’s no surprise that riding in races was a personal ambition. And after being given the approval by stewards last Friday, Zephen Johnston-Porter’s dream has turned to reality. After 89 trial rides, the 17-year-old is the latest addition to Western Australia’s riding ranks and… Read More »
Nature Strip turned in a trademark performance at Monday’s Warwick Farm trials, but there was no shortage of connections happy with what they saw behind the world champion sprinter. Annabel Neasham was particularly buoyant after seeing Zaaki cruise into fourth position in the star-studded 824-metre trial on Good ground. The four-time Group 1… Read More »
“I’m pretty speechless, it’s been a very special day. I’ve had such a great experience here with some beautiful horses I have ridden. I was speechless after and I got goosebumps – it’s hard to make me speechless, it was a very exciting day.” Fair to say Hong Kong is… Read More »
John O’Shea is keeping an open mind on autumn carnival plans for Benaud, whose opening campaign runs will be pivotal in determining which races he targets. The talented four-year-old had his foot on the till in the spring, finishing just behind the placegetters in the Winx and Chelmsford Stakes and runner-up… Read More »
Sydney trainer Mark Newnham is looking to make a statement early in Melbourne’s Festival Of Racing with a couple of former Hong Kong gallopers. One is already well known in Melbourne, having won during the Melbourne Cup Carnival at Flemington while the other is Melbourne bound following a recent trial win. Joyful Fortune is heading… Read More »
Ten races will be run and won at Sha Tin on Sunday, headlined by the Group l Stewards Cup (1600m). Race One: 5 Jubilation Race Two: 7 Nice Birdie Race Three: 6 Rock Ya Heart Race Four: 4 Further Forward Race Five: 1 Handsome Twelve Race Six: 4 Innoconstruction Race… Read More »
Joe Pride doesn’t like to deviate from a plan but his belated decision to start Mariamia in the Expressway Stakes has paid handsome dividends with the mare landing her maiden black-type win in emphatic fashion. When just four original nominations were received for Saturday’s Group 2 sprint, Pride threw in a late entry… Read More »
Jigsaw has ticked another box for trainer Cindy Alderson with his comfortable victory in the Australia Stakes at Moonee Valley. The win in Saturday’s Group 2 weight-for-age race over 1200m was Jigsaw’s fourth in succession leaving the four-year-old unbeaten in his current preparation. Sent out the $3.10 favourite under Daniel… Read More »
Annabel Neasham has labelled Learning To Fly a “special” filly after she lived up to her barrier trial hype with a classy victory in the Listed Widden Stakes at Rosehill. In doing so, the two-year-old became the first Australian winner for her sire Justify and his first stakes winner. Learning… Read More »
What was expected to be a two-horse race, in a small field, at Moonee Valley, turned out to be a boilover. The Happy Birthday John Dickson Handicap (1000m) was expected to see the heavily backed $2.05 favourite Command Approved and Bistro ($2.90) fight out the finish on Saturday. However, the pair cut at each other early in… Read More »
Red Resistance has stamped himself as a genuine Golden Slipper contender while King’s Gambit and Shinzo lost no admirers in a competitive Canonbury Stakes that was low on numbers but high in quality. Red Resistance ($6) kept his undefeated record intact, controlling the five-horse race from the front under Brett… Read More »
Trainer Chris Calthorpe is considering heading to Tasmania with Fighting Arrow after a narrow win at Moonee Valley. The Group 3 Hobart Cup (2400m) on February 6 will now be considered for the gelding following his victory in the McMahon’s Dairy Handicap (2040m) on Saturday. Ridden by Blake Shinn, Fighting Arrow… Read More »
A bit of racing history will be made today with the Gold Coast Turf Club breaking new ground … in a manner of speaking … when they host the first race meeting on their new Polytrack at their Aquis Park venue today. Eight races were originally programmed, but one race… Read More »
As Pencarrow says “buyers right across Australasia and beyond have come to expect each and every year, and we’re set to offer another high-quality selection of yearlings at Karaka 2023.” Karaka 2023 Book 1 is 29 to 31 January, and Pencarrow’s 20-strong draft has six yearlings by super-sires Snitzel, Savabeel, Exceed And Excel, Pierro, Written… Read More »
Twelve races will be run and won at Singapore on Saturday, with the depth across the program being relatively solid. Race One: 3 Sun Palace Race Two: 2 Italian Revolution Race Three: 3 Aftermath Race Four: 1 Super Talent Race Five: 4 Popeyethesailorman Race Six: 1 Captain Singapore Race Seven:… Read More »
Robbie Fradd’s recovery from major, triple by-pass heart surgery is progressing well enough physically and, at the same time, he is also steadily coming to terms with the fact that he has not been able to end his forty-year career as a jockey on his own terms. “I’m getting there…. Read More »
Trainer David Vandyke has confirmed that Gypsy Goddess, the winner of the National Champion Three-Year-Old Filly title for 2021-22, has been sold as a broodmare and will relocate to Japan where she will join another former David Vandyke runner, now broodmare, Yankee Rose, who won the Queensland Horse Of The… Read More »
Ballarat trainer Archie Alexander has Derby aspirations for High Approach who returns to racing at Moonee Valley. A veteran of five starts, High Approach tackles older horses for the first time when he lines up in the Ladbroke It! Handicap (1500m) on Saturday. The Group 1 Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick in… Read More »
Godolphin filly Bistro has an exceptional first-up record but to date has been unable to replicate that at the second run of her preparation. However, the Anthony and Sam Freedman stable is confident she can turn that around against four opponents in the Happy Birthday John Dickson Handicap (1000m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday. Bistro… Read More »
Those who fancy unbeaten Russian Revolution colt The Instructor as a Blue Diamond chance will take confidence from what Daumier was able to do last year. Daumier won the colts and geldings Blue Diamond Preview, the race that The Instructor won at Sandown on Thursday, before going on to win the Group… Read More »
