Sydney’s unpredictable weather continues to keep everybody guessing, but for the bulk of Chris Waller’s stars, it is full steam ahead for the first Group 1 meeting of the carnival. The Verry Elleegant Stakes (1600m) will be among two Group 1 races on Saturday’s program, and with seven of the… Read More »
Tim Clark knows all eyes will be on rival and Golden Slipper favourite Warwoven in the Skyline Stakes, but if there is a chink in that colt’s armour, he is hoping Knightsbridge is the horse seasoned enough to expose it. Unbeaten in two starts, Warwoven was a controversial scratching from the Magic… Read More »
Michael Freedman is one of several trainers keeping close tabs on track conditions at Randwick ahead of Apocalyptic’s clash with Tempted in the Surround Stakes. While his Group 1-winning filly will go around regardless, Freedman says his confidence levels will dip if conditions deteriorate much beyond Friday’s soft 7 rating. “I’m looking… Read More »
The Morphettville based team of Gordon Richards and Damien Moyle have a back-up plan should the predicted rain arrive on the weekend. The pair has Tapinforpar scheduled to run in The Dominant Advantage Handicap (1400m) at Morphettville Parks on Saturday, but Richards does not like the look of what the weather has in store. If the… Read More »
Veteran trainer Rex Lipp has had a number of good horses in his care over the years, but he seldom courts the limelight being far happier to fly under the radar, as he did when sending the Spirit Of Boom filly Esperanza out to claim a debut victory at the… Read More »
Arctic Glamour’s aversion to wet tracks has trainers Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou keeping a nervous watch on the Sydney weather ahead of her scheduled return in the Guy Walter Stakes at Randwick. The five-year-old hasn’t won in six tries on soft ground, and not wanting to waste a run,… Read More »
Lindsay Park achieved their goal with Apulia over summer and now they have switched their attention to an autumn campaign. Apulia, and stablemate Plymouth, head to the Group 2 Blamey Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on Saturday which trainers Ben, Will and J D Hayes hope will lead the pair to… Read More »
Star Western Australian filly Luana Miss is the first horse to lock in a slot in this years $5million dollar Quokka at Ascot. Luana Miss will run for slot holder TABtouch, aiming to become the first three-year-old to win WA’s richest race. The exciting filly, trained by Trevor Andrews, showcased… Read More »
When one door closes, another door opens … at least that is the call if you are lucky enough to be able move forward with another option, and for trainer Paul Shailer, the ups and downs of life as a trainer is aptly summed up by the path followed by… Read More »
Sydney’s weather will determine if Ceolwulf has any chance of toppling glamour mare Autumn Glow in the Verry Elleegant Stakes at Randwick, according to his trainer Joseph Pride. Autumn Glow is a prohibitive $1.30 favourite to extend her unbeaten sequence to 10 on Saturday, and Pride concedes it’s a deserved quote. His… Read More »
He isn’t expecting to upset high-profile fillies Tempted and Apocalyptic, but Chris Waller is anticipating bold performances from Karinska and Panova in the Group One Surround Stakes at Randwick. Both have been marked at double-figure odds for Saturday’s three-year-old feature, and Waller will be content to see the pair hitting the line with a… Read More »
Jockey Thomas Stockdale hopes to continue the adrenalin rush of becoming a first-time father with success at the highest level at Flemington. Stockdale partners with the Simon Zahra-trained Onavuitton in the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) on Saturday and while he knows he faces a stiff task in the three-year-old… Read More »
Tim Clark isn’t sure where the ceiling lays for progressive sprinter Axius, but he is looking forward to testing the waters when the gelding levels up to stakes company at Randwick. The four-year-old will line up in Saturday’s Group 3 Liverpool City Cup (1300m), his first appearance since posting an… Read More »
Weather conditions at Randwick are set to play a crucial role in determining the final make-up of Ciaron Maher’s team for the Sweet Embrace Stakes, with Pierro Plate winner Ciaron’s Star in doubt should the surface become too rain-affected. While Spicy Miss is locked in to contest the key Golden… Read More »
Constitution Hill will not race in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham. In a decision that would come as a relief to many, trainer Nicky Henderson and owner Michael Buckley have called time on Constitution Hill’s marvellous career as a jumper, with the horse now set follow new avenues. In a… Read More »
One of the first horses beaten in the Hobart Cup, Asva was friendless in betting heading into the Launceston Cup with the market dominated by mainland raiders Ziryab and Taramansour. That well fancied pair were nowhere to be seen at the finish as Asva led in a local trifecta ahead… Read More »
Trainer Bryce Heys might have been holding his breath as Zac Lloyd threaded the needle to take a rails run on promising sprinter Banjora at Rosehill on Wednesday, but the jockey had no such issues. “Plenty of room,” Lloyd said. “He’s a big horse, so he needs a bit more… Read More »
Just the mention of the Melbourne Cup … and suddenly Constitution Hill is a name is being bandied about in Australia with everything from derision to delight … from ridicule to respect … the negatives in there being an unfortunate, unwanted and unnecessary response to an unlikely possibility. What the… Read More »
A rain-affected track could add an intriguing twist to the Verry Elleegant Stakes, but trainer Chris Waller won’t be concerning himself with weather conditions until race morning. The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a wide-ranging forecast for the remainder of the week, predicting anywhere from 4mm to around 60mm of rain…. Read More »
Trainer John Sadler is banking on experience down the straight proving beneficial when Befuddle heads to Flemington. Befuddle runs in the HKJC World Pool Trophy (1100m) on Saturday, her second start in 11 months. Sadler explained the daughter of Hanseatic did not come up in the spring, but he was delighted with the filly’s performance… Read More »
