There were times last week that Mitch Freedman wondered whether he’d made the right call passing up a Group 1 opportunity with his star sprinter Skybird. But the $2 million Manikato Stakes, which was under consideration as a second-up run for Skybird, did not end up being run on the… Read More »
Nacim Dilmi’s years of experience working for Godolphin have helped shaped his approach to training in his own right, but there is one over-arching learning from that time that he’s used to prepare his maiden Group 1 runner. Taking over as the private conditioner for Domeland just over 12 months… Read More »
The Melbourne Cup dream remains alive for 71 horses following first acceptances being taken. Of the 71 horses remaining, 13 are international acceptances for the 3200m showpiece at Flemington on November 3. Last year’s winner and this year’s topweight Half Yours remains in contention as he looks to go back-to-back for Tony and Calvin McEvoy. Half… Read More »
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable may not have the fire power of the bigger stables in the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington. But Waterhouse said ‘you only need one to fire’ to hit the mark. The Waterhouse and Bott stable are likely to rely solely on Sir Delius in the Group… Read More »
The market remains largely unchanged for the Group 1 Epsom Handicap after Tuesday’s barrier draw, setting up a tantalising Trans-Tasman clash. Autumn Boy holds favouritism at $3.50 for the famous 1600m clash at Royal Randwick after drawing barrier one in a field of 19 with unbeaten New Zealand four-year-old mare Well… Read More »
It’s not by design that Knight’s Choice has not been back to Flemington in almost two years, but he will make his return to the track where he made himself a household name this weekend. The shock winner of the 2024 Melbourne Cup continues his quest for another win in… Read More »
Popular Queensland sprinter Rothfire has been retired from racing following his final appearance in Sunday’s Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield. The two-time Group 1 winner finished well back in the field in the Manikato, with connections subsequently calling time on his decorated racing career. Rothfire retires having won… Read More »
Autumn Boy has started the week in Melbourne, but Chris Waller expects the multiple Group 1 winner to be in Sydney on Saturday, when the Epsom Handicap will be run at Randwick. The champion trainer confirmed at the weekend that the historic mile, a Group 1 event worth $1.5 million,… Read More »
Mick Price has not given up on The Everest dream for his star colt Guest House, despite his defeat in last Saturday’s Golden Rose. This year’s Golden Slipper winner was unplaced for the first time in his career when sixth, 5-1/2 lengths from winner Warwoven, in a roughhouse edition of… Read More »
Jimmysstar (NZ) emphatically announced he was anything but a spent force as a major player in Australia’s feature sprint races with a brilliant win in Sunday’s Group 1 Manikato Stakes at Caulfield. The enigmatic sprinter logged Group 1 win number four when he rounded up his rivals in the $2… Read More »
Chris Waller bolstered his Caulfield Guineas hand when potentially valuable colts Diameter and Somethings Burnin’ fought out the finish of the Group 2 Stutt Stakes at Caulfield on Sunday. Diameter edged out his stablemate when champion jockey James McDonald was able to squeeze through a late gap that carried him… Read More »
The venue and time the race was run were different, but Pride Of Jenni continued her love affair with the Feehan Stakes at Caulfield on Sunday. The popular front-runner joined Shorengro (1968-70) as the only triple winner of the Moonee Valley Racing Club feature when she turned in a trademark… Read More »
Gerald Ryan has described Skyhook as “poetry in motion” after he made a one-act affair of the Shannon Stakes with a dominant all-the-way win in the Group 2 Rosehill feature. However, the experienced trainer won’t be tempted to back-up the four-year-old in next weekend’s Epsom Handicap (1600m), instead content to… Read More »
Hurry Curry has appreciated a rise in distance in scoring all-important ‘Black Type’ for her future as a broodmare with a narrow win at Mornington. The Danny O’Brien-trained mare took out the Listed R M Ansett Classic (2400m) on Saturday to go with a previous placing at Stakes level in… Read More »
Consistent stayer So You Are is unlikely to back up in the Metropolitan, with trainer Bjorn Baker keen to turn his focus to Melbourne for a potential Cups campaign. The $2.15 favourite was responsible for a brave performance in Saturday’s Colin Stephen Quality (2400m) at Rosehill, conceding 5-1/2 kilos to… Read More »
If Under Focus can get the start of his race right in the Golden Rose, jockey Dylan Gibbons is adamant the colt can play a hand in the finish. The three-year-old made his task tough when he was slow away in the Run To The Rose (1200m) but was doing… Read More »
Joe Pride is keen for Private Eye to be put into the race early in the Shannon Stakes and says if that happens, the veteran is the testing material. After resuming with a terrific second in the Lawrence Stakes at Caulfield last month when he raced handy, the gelding drifted… Read More »
The John O’Shea and Tom Charlton stable is looking forward to returning to Melbourne with the promising Napoleonic. A three-time winner from 12 starts, Napoleonic has raced just once in Melbourne, registering a 4-ÂĽ length victory at Moonee Valley on Cox Plate Day last year. It was that victory that had those connected with Napoleonic excited for what lay ahead, but it was… Read More »
Trainer Pat Cannon has had a long career in the thoroughbred industry but now has only one horse in work. That horse is Shultzy who was scratched from a race at Geelong on Wednesday and is set to run in the Listed RM Ansett Classic (2400m) at Mornington on Saturday. Shultzy has been… Read More »
The major targets for Surfin’ Bird will come deeper in the spring, but co-trainer Adrian Bott is looking forward to the emerging mare getting her preparation started in the Golden Pendant at Rosehill. The five-year-old has only raced nine times for five wins, including when rounding out her most recent… Read More »
