An inside barrier draw has convinced John O’Shea to put Kirwan’s Lane on the float to Kembla Grange, alongside stablemate and The Gong contender Berdibek. The appearance of Kirwin’s Lane at the meeting was contingent on him drawing a good gate and after landing barrier two in the field of 16 for… Read More »
He might not have a starter in the feature race but there is no doubting where the allegiances of trainer Kerry Parker lay ahead of the $1 million From The Gong at his home track of Kembla Grange. Parker, who enjoyed a fruitful spring carnival in Sydney with stable star Think It… Read More »
Tom Sadler would like to see ‘Goldilocks ground’ for two of his runners in a couple of the major support races on the Ballarat Cup card. Sadler, the assistant-trainer to his father John as he awaits the paperwork to be rubber stamped to join him in a training partnership, is keeping… Read More »
Tommy Berry’s readiness to ride Our Bellagio Miss at a light weight has fuelled her trainer’s belief that can she run a race when she resumes in the $300,000 The Warra at Kembla Grange. While the mare’s 53.5kg isn’t an undue stretch for the top jockey, Berry’s rides under 54kg are… Read More »
Mark Newnham might call Quackerjack the “old boy” of the stable, but he is adamant the gelding can wind back the clock in the $1 million The Gong. The six-year-old has been the longest serving member of Newnham’s young team and has the distinction of being the first yearling he… Read More »
Having endured some frustration with Just Benjamin, the Anthony and Sam Freedman stable believe the galloper is ready to hit winning form. While disappointed to have missed out on a start in the feature Ballarat Cup on Saturday,Sam Freedman conceded the Global Turf Handicap over the same 2000m course as… Read More »
While a number of the spring stars of the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace team are out having a well-earned break, the stable will have strong representation at the Ballarat Cup meeting. With stables dotted around Victoria, Ballarat is home to their biggest numbers and Maher and Eustace would dearly… Read More »
Sent out a short favourite ($2.20) in the first event at Rosehill on Wednesday, the Snowden-trained colt supported favourite punters by gaining the winning-hand late to score. By Snitzel and out of multiple stakes winning stable-trained dam Nayeli, the breeding suggested the colt may be destined for greater things than… Read More »
As stable foreman to Adam Durrant, Miller witnessed firsthand Mr Moet’s surprising victory in 2012. Mr Moet started at $20, but was backed in after as much as $100 was on offer in various markets. On Saturday, Miller is offered the opportunity of saddling his own Railway Stakes contender and… Read More »
Good fortune hasn’t been kind to the former Karrakatta Plate champion in his two runs this preparation, but after coming up with barrier seven in the Railway Stakes and a lightweight 53kg on his back, he gets a chance to make his presence felt. Dig Deep had a wide barrier… Read More »
Banderas has his future assured when his racing days are over, but his trainer Jim Conlan is hopeful of a long-term career on the racetrack. The four-year-old son of Toronado broke his maiden status in the Ladbroke It Plate (1400m) at Sandown on Wednesday and Conlan is planning an assault… Read More »
It’s already been a very successful preparation for the Robert and Luke Price-trained Count De Rupee with a lucrative second in the Golden Eagle, but the Kembla Grange-based pair are aiming to go one better in the $1 million The Gong on their home surface this Saturday. The $145,000 yearling… Read More »
Ballarat trainer Andrew Noblet will have dual representation as he attempts to win his hometown Cup for the first time. Ghodeleine and Foxy Frida will run for Noblet in the Listed Ballarat Cup (2000m) on Saturday, a race that carries prize money of $500,000. Noblet said it would mean a… Read More »
After two false starts, quirky gelding Berdibek is poised to finally race at Kembla Grange’s feature meeting of the spring and his trainer says he is not without a chance. The eight-year-old has been scheduled to contest races on The Gong program for the past two years but hasn’t made… Read More »
Les Bridge has revealed Classique Legend is out of the autumn with a leg injury but the Hall Of Fame trainer is confident the star sprinter will be back to chase another Everest title. The gelding sprained a suspensory ligament during the running of this year’s $15 million race in… Read More »
David Payne is still learning about recent acquisition Blue Soldier, but the horse has surprised him once and he is hoping he might do the same again in The Gong. The former Northern Hemisphere galloper was a Listed winner and dual Group placegetter in Ireland who had been struggling to… Read More »
Jockey Jamie Kah could be back riding on Zipping Classic Day after having some success in her appeal at the Supreme Court over a two-month suspension handed down by the Victorian Racing Tribunal. Kah was suspended for three months over the Mornington Airbnb gathering in August and suspended for a… Read More »
Western Empire is now a $1.80 TABtouch favourite for Saturday’s Heineken 3-Railway Stakes (1600m) after he drew barrier three at this afternoon’s barrier draw. The four-year-old returned in style to take out last month’s Group 3 Asian Beau Stakes (1400m) and looks well placed to deliver jockey William Pike and trainers… Read More »
In 2021 being the season of Charlie Appleby, it’s the Bahrain International Trophy on Friday that surely culminates a magnificent year in winning 17 Group and Grade One races. Adayar was magnificent in taking out in the Derby Stakes at Epsom, courtesy of a dare-devil ride by Adam Kirby, followed… Read More »
Rhys Radford scaled his greatest heights as a trainer when Great Shot won the Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m) and he doesn’t lack any confidence that he can repeat the win at Ascot on Saturday. In a big upset at double figure odds four years ago, Great Shot caused a… Read More »
