Following the backlash surrounding the Starship Foundation’s reported rejection of a substantial donation (see separate story), Starship Foundation’s CEO Aisha Daji Punga has issued a second statement to 1News to try and clarify the situation … now suggesting that it was time constraints that had torpedoed the deal and not… Read More »
Having originally considered taking I’m Thunderstruck back in trip after his Cox Plate placing, I’m Thunderstruck will attempt to register a first against Anamoe at Flemington. The pair has met on two occasions with Anamoe holding 2-0 lead, but trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr are hoping to turn that around in the Group 1 Champions… Read More »
The Champions Mile has undergone a transformation that just may give Godolphin galloper Cascadian his chance to finally win a feature Group 1 1600m race at Flemington. Previously a handicap and known as the Cantala Stakes and run on the opening day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival, the race has been rebadged as the Champions Mile, shifted to the final… Read More »
An opportunity to match the deeds of one of Perth’s most popular and successful mares is added incentive for Massimo in the WAROA- Lee Steere Stakes (1400m) at Ascot on Saturday. Massimo won the Lee Steere Stakes last year and if successful for a second time on the weekend he joins… Read More »
The established champion Nature Strip and heir apparent Giga Kick are set for a rematch when they meet at Flemington. Giga Kick kept his unbeaten record intact when he won The Everest at Randwick last month to give his trainer Clayton Douglas his biggest success and in the process relegate Nature Strip into fourth position. The pair… Read More »
A spring that hasn’t gone to script could still end on a high note for Jamaea when she gets back on a firm track in the Hot Danish Stakes at Rosehill. The mare was scratched from the Manikato Stakes when the Moonee Valley surface was downgraded to heavy, resulting in co-trainerLuke… Read More »
A big spring could be about to get even bigger for Annabel Neasham, who has feature race chances in two states on Saturday including a pair of in-form horses in the Five Diamonds. In just her third season as a trainer, Neasham has been represented in many of the major… Read More »
Ascot trainer Dan Morton will roll the dice and won’t start his star gelding Alaskan God in the R.J.Peters Stakes (1500m), leaving a berth in the Railway Stakes (1600m) in slight jeopardy. There is some concern Alaskan God’s rating of 92 is too low to get into the Railway Stakes,… Read More »
Consistent campaigner Kirwan’s Lane has captured his second feature mile race at Hawkesbury this year, lifting late to run down local hope Momack in the Listed Ladies Day Cup. Backed in to start an odds-on favourite, the John O’Shea-trained gelding gave favourite backers a few anxious moments when he was slow to… Read More »
Another Cummings has added his name to the honour roll of the Kennedy Oaks winners when She’s Extreme took out the Classic race for three-year-old fillies at Flemington. Anthony Cummings joins his grandfather Jim, father Bart and son James as a winner of the Group 1 race after he trained She’s Extreme to win the 2500m showpiece on Thursday. With Tommy Berry aboard,… Read More »
Joyful Fortune has continued his affinity with the Flemington straight with and impressive victory in the Century Stakes. A former Hong Kong galloper who was restricted to straight track racing before returning to Australia with knee problems, scored in a benchmark 70 race at Flemington over 1100m back in September. That 4-¼… Read More »
“Flightline’s matured, he’s more professional than last year but his precociousness hasn’t diminished even with the increased distances of his races,“ says Jeannine Edwards. “The most credible challenge will come from Life Is Good, who certainly seems top of his game, has the class to be favoured in any other… Read More »
Kris Lees and Hugh Bowman have combined for another ‘black type’ success in Melbourne with Razeta scoring at Flemington. Razeta showed a blistering turn of foot to take out the Listed Desirable Stakes (1400m) on Thursday. Lees and Bowman first teamed together to claim the VRC Oaks with Samantha Miss in 2008 which also… Read More »
The benefit of race experience proved beneficial for Charm Stone when the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained filly scored at Flemington. Victory in the Group 3 Ottawa Stakes (1000m) on Thursday came at Charm Stone’s second start on the Flemington straight course. Charm Stone finished third to Zulfiqar in the Maribyrnong Trial Stakes on… Read More »
NSW trainer Tracey Bartley had his eyes set on winning the Golden Eagle but when the gelding failed to make the final field, he switched his attention to Melbourne. Kiss Sum heads to the Group 1 Champions Mile (1600m) at Flemington on Saturday after he was an emergency in the $10 million Golden Eagle at Rosehill… Read More »
It was the phone call all parents dread. Two weeks ago, young trainer Cassandra Stummer and her partner, jockey Daniel Northey, had just celebrated a win at Wauchope and were making the 3-1/2 hour drive back to Muswellbrook when Stummer’s phone rang. Their 18-month old son, Ace had been in an… Read More »
Having captured the Golden Rose with Jacquinot, Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr are setting their sights on another Sydney spring carnival raid, this time with Aytron in the $2 million Five Diamonds. The Victorian-trained galloper has been targeted at the race since midway through the spring and there is a… Read More »
Donna Riordan admits there is a tinge of nervousness, but she’s doing her best to disguise it. She’s determined to remain cool, calm and composed and is embracing the challenge that lies ahead. That test for Donna Riordan is somewhat twofold: she takes on a quality horse from a revered trainer… Read More »
Three-year-olds are set to make a return to a Group 1 weight-for-age on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival. The Mackinnon Stakes, renamed this year as the Champion Stakes (2000m) and which forms a part of a “Champions” series of races to conclude the Carnival, will see Elliptical and Mr Maestro line-up at Flemington on… Read More »
Ciaron Maher and David Eustace have some unfinished business to do before the Melbourne Cup Carnival winds up. The pair was still in celebratory mode the afternoon following their Melbourne Cup success with Gold Trip at Flemington on Tuesday. With that win ticked off, Maher and Eustace have a Group 1 chance with Zennzella in the Kennedy… Read More »
