Barbara Saunders thought her shot at Queensland Oaks success might have passed with Rathsallagh’s narrow defeat in 2008. The O’Reilly filly ran a huge race but was forced to settle for second place, just a long neck behind Riva San. Fourteen years on, Saunders and her husband Barry get another shot… Read More »
An outside draw has not helped the chances of Festival Dancer in the Queensland Oaks, but trainer Matthew Smith is hoping a seven-day back-up will. A Group 3 winner over a mile in the spring, Festival Dancer will jump from barrier 18 in Saturday’s Eagle Farm classic and while Smith isn’t rapt with… Read More »
Heart fibrillation does not read well as an excuse for a horse’s poor performance, but it invariably leads to good showing at their next start. The Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young stable are hoping so when they saddle Commander Harry, who will be joined by Alverdun, in the Mahogany Challenge Handicap (2000m) at… Read More »
Trainer Matthew Williams says it is hard to get a line on Harbour Views as he prepares for his first-up run at Flemington. Harbour Views is set to contest the VRC-CRV Winter Championship Series Plate (1400m) in his first outing since a three-run campaign last spring. That campaign saw Harbour Views win… Read More »
Zac Purton has posted a vital double to edge to within touching distance of Joao Moreira in the Hong Kong Jockeys’ Championship after an eventful meeting which left the Australian bloodied but unbowed on Wednesday night (1 June). Trailing Moreira by eight winners a week ago, Purton has trimmed the… Read More »
Bjorn Baker has decided against stepping Arapaho up in class and distance this weekend, but a sterner test is on the radar if the import can repeat his last-start heroics. Arapaho will take his place in Saturday’s Petaluma Handicap (1800m) after trouncing his rivals by more than 7-1/2 lengths over the same… Read More »
Trainer Matt Cumani has been impressed with the improvement former French galloper Sous Les Nuages has made as he stretches deeper into his second Australian campaign. Sous Les Nuages runs in the Banjo Patterson Series Plate (2000m) at Flemington on Saturday after pleasing his trainer with his first-up run over a shorter… Read More »
Michael Freedman’s winter carnival plans for Ringmaster have hit a few road blocks but the experienced trainer has managed to navigate them and keep the horse on track for his Group 1 goal. The two-year-old booked his passage north when runner-up in Sydney on debut but since arriving in Brisbane, he… Read More »
A week after celebrating a metropolitan double at Randwick, trainer Brad Widdup will bid to keep his momentum rolling by chasing a consolation win with filly Mum’s The Boss at Rosehill. Widdup originally had designs on a Queensland Oaks start for the Foxwedge three-year-old but when she was going to… Read More »
It is all systems go for the Queensland Oaks favourite Gypsy Goddess on Saturday. The David Vandyke trained daughter of Tarzino will be looking to make it third time lucky in a Group 1 contest and her previous results at the elite level … when third in the Vinery Stakes… Read More »
The Catch, Dubai-bound Michael Costa’s last runner in Australia, gave the young trainer the perfect send-off when he completed a hat trick of wins at Doomben on Wednesday. The future beckons brightly for Costa who will shortly relocate to Dubai where he will take on the privileged challenge of becoming… Read More »
A debut victory against older horses has earned juvenile Backrower a chance in town, and longer-term, a possible spring carnival tilt. The late-blooming colt will take his place in the Bowerman’s Handicap (1300m) at Rosehill on Saturday provided the track continues to dry out. While he sustained a long run from… Read More »
Trainer Luke Oliver has his eyes on ‘Finals Day’ at Flemington next month after Megamea returned with a first-up win at Sandown. Victory in the Ladbrokes Bet Ticker Handicap (1200m) on Wednesday was also the perfect birthday present for Oliver who has now prepared Megamea to win twice in five starts since joining his stable…. Read More »
Champion jockey James Mcdonald has brought up his 100th Sydney metropolitan win of the season and fittingly, he has done it aboard a horse trained by long-time supporter Chris Waller. McDonald found himself stranded on 99 after he booted home Tinnie Winnie for Waller at Canterbury on May 25 then didn’t… Read More »
The Anthony and Sam Freedman stable has spring ambitions with debut Sandown winner Elliptical. Success in the Tile Importer Handicap (1400m) on Wednesday, the first day of winter, may not be the springboard into spring that many look for, but Sam Freedman and connections of the two-year-old are dreaming of… Read More »
John Sargent has declared his intention to have Gin Martini ridden more conservatively in the Queensland Oaks as he bids to win the fillies’ classic for a second time. The ATC Australian Oaks placegetter has raced on the speed at her past three starts and while she has been performing admirably, she… Read More »
Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott have been in fine form, and they are looking to continue their winning momentum. Promising young stayer Military Mission will get a prime opportunity to showcase his talent when he steps up to stakes company for the first time in the Listed Winter Cup at Rosehill…. Read More »
Grahame Begg hopes to learn a little a more about his unbeaten filly Passive Aggressive when she lines up at Flemington. Passive Aggressive runs in the ATA Trainers’ Trust Handicap (1100m) on Saturday following victories at Werribee and Pakenham. Begg is using Saturday’s race as a measure of the filly’s ability and… Read More »
Nine races will be run and won at Happy Valley this Wednesday night, with good depth across the program. Race One: 8 Sunny Delight Race Two: 2 Shanghai Power Race Three: 3 Blissful Star Race Four: 6 Loriz Race Five: 5 Shining Fortune Race Six: 7 Nearly Fine Race Seven:… Read More »
Julia Martin is still coming to terms with her milestone victory at Belmont on Saturday. Bombay Style produced an upset victory at $19 in the Quayclean Handicap (1650m), handing Martin her first city success. It was a dream come true for the Geraldton-based trainer, but the reality of her ground-breaking… Read More »
