The past 12 months have been a period of ‘firsts’ for trainer Chris Waller and he has achieved another one with Zougotcha’s stunning win in the Flight Stakes. Having claimed his first Melbourne Cup with Verry Elleegant and first international major with Nature Strip at Royal Ascot, the champion horseman has now prepared… Read More »
Giga Kick has kept his record intact and provided Clayton Douglas with his biggest success in two years of training with a fighting win at Flemington. A former jumps jockey with two wins in Australia’s longest race, the Grand Annual Steeplechase, Douglas has a team in work at Mornington. Douglas… Read More »
The strength of being the first foal of the entire Godolphin crop born two years ago proved pivotal when Zulfiqar fought off a determined challenge to score on debut. The win in the Listed Maribyrnong Trial Stakes (1000m) on Saturday gave Godolphin and trainer James Cummings their second win in the past three… Read More »
Caulfield Guineas favourite Aft Cabin has been ruled out of the stallion making race for three-year-olds after a bleeding attack following trackwork. Godolphin Australia Managing Director Vix Cox delivered the news on Saturday which requires Aft Cabin to stand out of racing for a mandatory three months. Aft Cabin had been favourite for next Saturday’s 1600m contest but has been… Read More »
Ten races will be run and won at Sha Tin on Saturday, headlined by the Group lll National Day Cup (1000m). Race One: 10 This Is Charisma Race Two: 5 Big Me Race Three: 7 One Voice Race Four: 2 Compassion Spirit Race Five: 4 Rockpaperscissors Race Six: 5 Midori… Read More »
Jockey Andrew Mallyon is due to take one ride at the Gold Coast on Saturday as he continues to push forward along a carefully managed path back to his full book riding capacity … and hopefully a not too distance date with a Group 1 assignment … after returning to… Read More »
At the corresponding Flemington meeting 12 months ago, Odeum started a Melbourne Spring Carnival campaign that her connections had high hopes for. After finishing 11th in the Group 2 Rose Of Kingston Stakes (1410m), Odeum was not sighted again for the Carnival. Move forward 12 months, and Odeum returns in the same race with her… Read More »
Trainer Peter Moody is banking on a dry track bringing out an improved showing from Brereton. Peter Moody has assembled a strong arsenal of quality three-year-olds and is looking to Brereton landing a stakes race win at Flemington. Already a winner down the Flemington straight, Brereton runs in the Group 2 Danehill Stakes (1200m) on… Read More »
Nature dictates that Zulfiqar should be one of Godolphin’s most forward two-year-olds so it should not surprise that he will make his debut in one of the first two-year-old races of the season The son of Exceed And Excel will be one of two representatives for James Cummings in Saturday’s… Read More »
Trainer Ed Cummings did not lay eyes on stable star Duais for a couple of days and believes in that short time the mare has improved her condition. Duais is in Melbourne to begin her Melbourne Spring Carnival campaign in earnest in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on Saturday. The Group… Read More »
How he negotiates the Kalgoorlie track for the first time rather than fitness will threaten General Grant’s chances of winning Saturday’s $150,000 XXXX-Kalgoorlie Cup (2200m), according to trainer Stephen Miller. Miller remains optimistic General Grant can bounce back from a minor setback and get his campaign back on track following… Read More »
Even with all of the prestige he has brought to Australian racing with Takeover Target, Joe Janiak has never been an attention seeker, so it was no surprise then that you could have walked right past him without noticing his presence as he sat relaxing at a table, enjoying a… Read More »
It is what it is. Sadly, that well-worn phrase provides the bottom line to the Verry Elleegant/Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe saga which was formally brought to a close when connections of the eleven-time Group 1 winning mare declined to pay the supplementary entry fee for their champion, seemingly to… Read More »
In looking for his third Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe success master trainer Aidan O’Brien has his Irish Champion Stakes winner Luxembourg as the $4.50 Arc favourite. In being rated 122 in the recent World’s Best Racehorse rankings, Luxembourg is stepping up to 2400m, having won the Royal Whip… Read More »
Chris Waller toyed with splitting fillies Zougotcha and Madame Pommery after they ran the quinella in the Tea Rose Stakes before deciding both deserved their chance at a Group 1 win. As a result, the pair will clash again in Saturday’s Flight Stakes (1600m) at Randwick, the final leg of… Read More »
Labelling Nimalee’s Golden Pendant victory “a bonus”, jockey Regan Bayliss is confident the mare is the right horse to deliver him successive wins in the Epsom Handicap. Already a Group 1 winner of the Queen Of The Turf Stakes over the Randwick mile, Nimalee showed tenacity to overcome a wide… Read More »
Godolphin trainer James Cummings would like to see the Turnbull Stakes run at a solid tempo to give Alegron his chance of another 2000m success. Alegron registered a victory in the Group 3 Kingston Town Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on September 17 and steps up to Group 1 level for the Turnbull Stakes over… Read More »
Just 24 hours after it was confirmed that Bjorn Baker would have his first runner in The Everest, the trainer has doubled his hand. Winter find Shades Of Rose was on Thursday confirmed to represent the slot held by Hong Kong-based Bon Ho, joining stablemate Overpass in the $15 million October sprint. Ho… Read More »
Gary Portelli’s quest for back-to-back Golden Slippers will begin this weekend when the first of the new-season two-year-olds go on show at Randwick. Portelli will start Flying Trapeze in the Breeders’ Plate (1000m) and Queen Of The Mile in the Gimcrack Stakes (1000m), the two races marking the official start… Read More »
The Listed Super Impose Stakes at Flemington will give trainer Peter Moody a clearer indication of the staying potential of Red Sun Sensation. The 1800m contest on Saturday is considered an important steppingstone to the Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington on October 29. Moody considers Red Sun Sensation a potential Derby… Read More »
