All wins in racing are special, but when Type Won gets up and scores in her races, it holds added sentimental attachment for trainer, Kieran McDonagh. Justifying warm favouritism Wednesday, Type Won, ridden by William Pike, skipped away in the straight to win her 1000m event by 1 ¾ lengths…. Read More »
Josh Parr will be the new jockey for Montefilia in the Chelmsford Stakes after Jason Collett opted to partner She’s Ideel. Montefilia’s trainer David Payne confirmed the rider switch on Thursday and said while he had no issue with Collett’s decision, Parr now had the frontrunning to stick with the mare throughout her spring… Read More »
Trainer Gary Portelli will start three genuine contenders in the Midway Handicap, led by three-year-old Royalzel. The chance to secure the services of champion hoop James McDonald has proven too big a drawcard for Gary Portelli to resist. The Warwick Farm trainer could have opted to nominate stakes winner Royalzel for… Read More »
Tim Clark believes there is a sense of timing surrounding progressive stayer No Compromise ahead of his latest assignment in the Premier’s Cup at Kembla Grange. The former New Zealander has scored a hat-trick of wins in five Australian starts and was given a freshen-up following his latest 2400m victory at Rosehill… Read More »
It was obviously no easy decision to turn away from the ride on the Caulfield Cup favourite and one of the top Melbourne Cup fancies in Incentivise but, in the end, the logistics of trying to find the right path in the maze of strict state Covid-19 protocols that engulfs… Read More »
Warwick Farm trainer Gary Portelli has been forced into plan B with his sprinter Spaceboy after missing out on a run at The Valley. Spaceboy was due to start in the Listed Carlyon Stakes (1000m) last Saturday but just prior to being loaded on the truck for the travel to Melbourne, the sprinter became cast in his… Read More »
Co-trainer Michael Freedman will continue to monitor track conditions but he is optimistic Golden Slipper winner Stay Inside will kick off his preparation at Kembla Grange. The surface was rated a heavy 9 on Thursday after rain earlier in the week and Freedman is keen to see it improve into the slow… Read More »
Aaron Purcell is daring to dream big with stable newcomer Constantinople. Former Coolmore galloper Constantinople arrived in Melbourne for a Cups campaign as a leading hope. Purchased by a large syndicate of Lindsay Park clients, Constantinople ran an unlucky fourth at his Australian debut in the 2019 Caulfield Cup then was second favourite in the Melbourne… Read More »
Lindsey Smith’s classy six-year-old Too Close The Sun has been a key firmer with Tabtouch for the Listed Idyllic Prince Stakes (1300m) at Belmont Park on Saturday. Runner-up in last years Railway Stakes and racing second-up this preparation, the Carlton House gelding opened at $4 and in current markets he… Read More »
Nature Strip has taken the first formal step in his Everest campaign with a Rosehill barrier trial win. Chris Waller has given Nature Strip the thumbs up after the top sprinter cruised around Rosehill to open his Everest preparations with an effortless barrier trial win. In his first public appearance… Read More »
New Zealand galloper Aegon has taken no harm from what turned out to be longer than expected travel to Melbourne to run at Caulfield. Aegon and his Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained stablemate The Chosen One were delayed on the tarmac in New Zealand ahead of their departure. The Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) on Saturday will be Aegon’s debut in… Read More »
One way or another, the Listed Goldmarket, which will be run at the Gold Coast over 1200m on Friday, will be all about Alligator Blood. The high profile, well performed son of All Too Hard resumes after a ten month break from race action at the track which produced his… Read More »
Jason Collett has bought up an early double on Wednesday’s Randwick-Kensington card with two impressive maiden victories. The first race of the day saw the Matthew Dunn-trained Rocklily lead all the way for a dominant 1.87 length victory. The daughter of Exceed and Excel was narrowly edged out a fortnight ago at… Read More »
Damien Oliver has a healthy opinion of Godolphin colt Vilana who has broken through for his maiden victory at Sandown. Headed by main rival in betting Frontman in the straight, Vilana fought back to claim the Ladbrokes Punter Assist Plate (1200m) on Wednesday in a tight photo. Pushed forward early by Oliver, Vilana, the $3.60 favourite, registered… Read More »
Trainer Andrew Noblet had to turn away from watching his mare Ghodeleine early in the straight prior to her victory at Sandown. Having been unlucky in her previous outings at The Valley and Flemington, Noblet was watching history repeat in the Ladbrokes Easy Form Handicap (2100m) on Wednesday. Luckily for Noblet, jockey Ben Melham persevered on Ghodeleine and… Read More »
Four-year-old Majestic Shot is ready to win as she returns in the ATC’s Most Winning Owner Godolphin Handicap (1000m) on Saturday. The daughter of Shooting To Win finished second in the Listed Denise’s Joy Stakes last campaign, and will face an easier task she when kicks off in Benchmark 78 company… Read More »
Brad Parnham is back on Samizdat in the Idyllic Prince Stakes (1300m) after the Chris and Michael Gangemi-trained six-year-old came from the clouds to score a brilliant first-up win two weeks ago. In-form hoop Clint Johnston-Porter rode Samizdat in the Belmont Newmarket (1200m) when he swept home wide to run over the… Read More »
Phillip Stokes will allow the campaign of Instant Celebrity to unfold after the mare has her first-up run at Caulfield. Trainer Phillip Stokes has chosen the Group 3 Cockram Stakes (1200m) on Saturday to start Instant Celebrity in which may lead the mare to Sydney for the $2 million The Invitational (1400m) at Randwick in… Read More »
Top jockey Tommy Berry has been rubbed out for a month for his part in a race day fall at Randwick that resulted in fellow rider Brenton Avdulla being hospitalised. Avdulla’s mount Xtremetime clipped the heels of Berry’s horse Jamaea (fourth) near the 100m in Saturday’s Silver Shadow Stakes and fell heavily, dislodging… Read More »
Trainer David Brideoake is happy to go to the well once again with Red Can Man as he chases a Group 1 victory with the former Perth galloper. Red Can Man will be lining up for his sixth start for Brideoake when he runs in the Memsie Stakes (1400m) on Saturday, the official opening of the… Read More »
