While the dust was still settling on Stradbroke Handicap, which was run and won by Alligator Blood, the last race on Stradbroke day at Eagle Farm provided racing enthusiasts with another super âcomebackâ story. It was âTarrant timeâ in the Group 2 Dane Ripper Stakes and the moment belonged to… Read More »
How good was Alligator Blood in the Stradbroke Handicap! The son of All Too Hard, who has seldom been far from the headlines since he kicked off his career with a five-race winning streak, stunned his opposition into submission with a blistering finishing effort which, with the exception of Private… Read More »
The G1 Queen Anne Stakes opens the show for the five-day Royal Ascot extravaganza on Tuesday (14 June) and Baaeed, one of the world’s best milers, is again expected to wow race fans as he surges up the famous straight 1600m. This Group 1 event has delivered the occasional surprise,… Read More »
Co-trainer Sam Freedman has legged Jamie Spencer aboard Artorius for the first time with the final touches being applied to the sprinter’s work towards the renamed Group 1 Platinum Jubilee Stakes (1200m) at Royal Ascot on Saturday. Working down the famously long Ascot straight, Spencer is confident that the three-year-old colt by Flying… Read More »
Newgate Farm will never be accused of resting on its laurels regarding stallion acquisitions, but it has little work to do on its reputation as a source of speed sires. The Hunter Valley operation boasts one of the most powerful rosters in the country, dominated by the likes of Extreme… Read More »
Continuing striking progress, Campione claimed a HK$1.5 million High Achievement Bonus with a brilliant victory in the Class 2 Lai Pek Shan Handicap (1200, dirt) at Sha Tin on Sunday (12 June), possibly earning a tilt at the Class 1 25th Anniversary Hong Kong Reunification Cup (1200m) next month. On… Read More »
Stand aside World, the Aussies are returning to Royal Ascot and itâs the Worldâs Best Sprinter in Nature Strip whoâs 9/4 favourite with Ladbrokes for the Kingâs Stand Stakes. With Tuesday being Day 1 of The Royal Meeting, Nature Strip has drawn Gate 10 of 18 runners for James McDonald,… Read More »
Most Australian racing fans are looking forward to this week’s Royal Ascot meeting more eagerly than at any time since Black Caviar’s Diamond Jubilee Stakes win a decade ago. Australia has had runners since the champion mare’s gripping win, even a winner in the Segenhoe Stud-born Merchant Navy but has lacked the potency it appears to possess in 2022. Eight-time Group 1 winner Nature Strip is pressing American star… Read More »
She was rated highly enough by her stable to be tested against some of the best fillies of her generation and now Jal Lei has been set a mission to boost her benchmark rating ahead of the spring. Scratched from Randwick on the weekend due to an awkward gate, the… Read More »
Trainer Grahame Begg says Passive Aggressive is right to press forward in her campaign for another run down the Flemington straight. Begg has Passive Aggressive entered in the Listed AR Creswick Stakes (1200m) on Saturday in a bid to stretch her unbeaten record to four. Passive Aggressive scored at Werribee… Read More »
Eleven races will be run and won at Sha Tin on Sunday, with good depth across the program. Race One: 5 Lucky Banner Race Two: 8 Diamond Star Race Three: 2 Bundle Of Charm Race Four: 1 Forte Race Five: 11 Stunning Impact Race Six: 2 Sparky Star Race Seven:… Read More »
The first lady of world racing chalked up another piece of history, a WA filly continued her winning ways while Annabel Neasham continued her great run with imports. All that and more in this weeks edition of ‘The Good, The Bad and The Ugly’. KEY NEWS: 150 G1 Wins For… Read More »
Apprentice Reece Jones has had another memorable afternoon at Randwick with a quartet of winners, making the most of the exodus of Sydney’s senior riders to Brisbane. With the likes of James McDonald, Hugh Bowman, Kerrin McEvoy and Tim Clark all in action at the Stradbroke Handicap meeting, the junior brigade had… Read More »
The Ciaron Maher & David Eustace stable landed its 100th metropolitan winner for the season when Mankayan scored at Sandown on Saturday. The European import remains unbeaten this campaign after taking out the Ladbrokes Punter Assist Handicap (1800m) having scored first-up at Caulfield last month. Getting in with 1kg over the minimum following the… Read More »
Controversy has followed Alligator Blood throughout his career but the horse was back in the headlines for all the right reasons after delivering Gai Waterhouse her first Stradbroke Handicap and her 150th Group 1 win. Disqualified from his 2020 Magic Millions Guineas victory due to a positive drug test, Alligator Blood has… Read More »
Champion jockey William Pike has put his stamp on the Brisbane Winter Carnival claiming a second Group 1 win when he guided Sheeza Belter to victory at Eagle Farm. Pike won the Queensland Oaks on Gypsy Goddess at Eagle Farm on June 4, giving the jockey his first Group 1 win since… Read More »
Having played the bridesmaid role at his past three starts, Dragonstone finally got his moment in the sun, outclassing his rivals to capture the Listed Bob Charley AO Stakes at Randwick. The diminutive gelding had twice finished runner-up to the smart Andermatt before bumping into another promising galloper in Passive Aggressive when second… Read More »
Annabel Neasham has collected another big prize with a European import, taking out the Group 2 Q22 at Eagle Farm. Numerian led throughout to claim the 2200m contest on Saturday following his stablemate Zaaki who won the race last year for Annabel Neasham. Taken to the front by Tommy Berry, Numerian ($21)… Read More »
A fierce will to win has helped deliver Siege another important metropolitan victory after jockey Chad Schofield was forced to throw his game plan out the window. Schofield had anticipated Saturday’s Celebration Of Women In Racing Handicap (1000m) being run at a faster tempo and wanted to ride Siege patiently before making… Read More »
Apprentice Mikaela Lawrence registered a breakthrough city win guiding home the Patrick Payne-trained Bigolino at Sandown. But the victory was soured for Lawrence who was fined $1500 and suspended for 11 meetings for being five whip strikes over prior to the 100m mark. Correct weight was delayed on the Thoroughbred Club Handicap (1600m) on… Read More »
