Moonee Valley course curator Marty Synan is expecting a fair track across the board when the club hosts 18 races in 24 hours on the weekend. Friday night kicks off with an eight-race card, highlighted by the Group 2 Moonee Valley Cup, while on Saturday a further 10 races will… Read More »
Chris Waller will give Via Sistina every chance to play her part in this Saturday’s $5 million Cox Plate, despite a trackwork mishap at Tuesday morning’s Breakfast With The Best session. The last-start Turnbull Stakes winner tossed rider James Mcdonald and then galloped multiple laps of the Moonee Valley circuit riderless after a… Read More »
The Ciaron Maher stable will chase a first win in the Geelong Cup with Herman Hesse and Interpretation in line for honours. The Group 3 contest over 2400m on Wednesday is one of the few staying feature races run in Victoria that has eluded Maher who secured a second Caulfield Cup when Duke… Read More »
Legendary Irish trainer Willie Mullins is expected to travel to Melbourne to watch his two Melbourne Cup runners Absurde and Vauban prepare for the ‘Race That Stops The Nation’ at Flemington. Absurde and Vauban, who both ran in the Melbourne Cup last year, finish their quarantine period on Sunday, but are expected to… Read More »
Michael Hawkes is convinced a wide draw cost Swiftfalcon in the Gloaming Stakes but the trainer is confident the promising gelding is on song for his attempt to go one better in the Spring Champion Stakes at Randwick. Swiftfalcon is poised to get his first chance to chase a Group 1… Read More »
Billed as a showdown between bold frontrunner Pride Of Jenni and Sydney star Fangirl, the King Charles III Stakes has instead proven a happy hunting ground for rising star Ceolwulf. The last-start Epsom Handicap winner turned giant-killer at Randwick, doing what many horses before him have been unable to by mowing… Read More »
The ever-increasing juggernaut that is the Ciaron Maher stable capped its biggest payday when Duke De Sessa scored a memorable win in the Caulfield Cup. An hour before Duke De Sessa claimed the Caulfield Cup, the Maher stable welcomed Bella Nipotina home victorious in the world’s richest race, The Everest at Randwick. They… Read More »
From a dramatic late scratching at the barriers to a heart-stopping finish, The Everest has produced another remarkable chapter with Bella Nipotina becoming the first mare to triumph in the $20 million spring showpiece. A rare athlete, the seven-year-old is peaking on the racetrack at an age when most are in… Read More »
Bjorn Baker’s disappointment in not securing an Everest slot with Overpass was eased when the proven fresh performer claimed a pretty decent consolation with a brilliant win in an eventful $2 million Sydney Stakes at Randwick. The trainer had aimed Overpass to resume on Saturday’s program and had been hoping that would… Read More »
What had been a frustrating start to the day for the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable turned full circle with the all the way victory of Too Darn Lizzie at Caulfield. Prior to the running of the Group 2 Thousand Guineas Prelude (1600m) on Saturday, Waterhouse was bemoaning the frustration… Read More »
It has been a case of third time lucky for remarkable gelding Far Too Easy, who has capped his storied career with a stunning victory in the $2 million The Kosciuszko at Randwick. Having placed behind Front Page in the country feature for the past two years, Far Too Easy finally… Read More »
Trainer Dan O’Sullivan said he would let the dust settle and enjoy the win of Too Darn Discreet in the Group 3 Ethereal Stakes (2000m) before confirming further spring ambitions. O’Sullivan would like to press on to the Group 1 VRC Oaks (2500m) at Flemington on November 7 via the Group 2… Read More »
For the second successive year the favourite has been beaten in the Caulfield Classic, a key lead up to the Victoria Derby. Following the scratching of Red Aces at the barrier before Saturday’s Group 3 contest over 2000m for three-year-old colts and geldings, Keeneland shortened dramatically to run an odds-on… Read More »
Saturday’s Caulfield Cup will be run thousands of kilometres away from Hong Kong, but that doesn’t mean Zac Purton’s competitive instincts have lessened. Hong Kong’s champion rider heads a big group of jockeys from that jurisdiction in Melbourne for the $5 million event, some of whom are yet to ride… Read More »
Co-trainer Adrian Bott believes the presence of four three-year-olds adds intrigue into what is shaping as a wide open The Everest at Randwick on Saturday. Bott and Gai Waterhouse are yet to win an Everest and this year their stable’s hopes rest with three-year-old colt Storm Boy and three-year-old filly Lady Of Camelot…. Read More »
Former trainer Darren Weir has lodged an appeal against the two-year disqualification handed down by the Victorian Racing Tribunal (VRT) in July for using a jigger on three horses. Weir’s legal team, Guthrie & Associates, has filed the appeal with the Supreme Court, arguing that the penalty is “altogether excessive… Read More »
A liking for red wine and good food may not be the right recipe for a jockey looking to take a light ride in one of Australia’s great feature races. But after a winter stint in Singapore, jockey Daniel Moor is back in Melbourne again looking to build a name… Read More »
Two-time Everest winner trainer Chris Waller is confident the fresh approach taken with Joliestar gives the mare her best chance of success in Saturday’s $20 million race at Randwick. Joliestar turned in a scintillating performance to win the Show County Quality at Randwick first-up this spring and the four-year-old hasn’t raced for… Read More »
Star Japanese galloper Prognosis was given a look at the Moonee Valley circuit with race jockey Damian Lane in the saddle ahead of Australia’s weight-for-age championship, the Cox Plate. The $4 favourite for the Group 1 2040m showpiece, made the trip from where he has been stabled at Werribee after completing… Read More »
Ceolwulf was well beaten by Pride Of Jenni in their only clash to date but trainer Joe Pride is convinced the recent Epsom Handicap winner will run a much better race when they meet again in the King Charles III Stakes at Randwick. Exciting four-year-old Ceolwulf stormed home to claim his first… Read More »
