Things haven’t gone exactly to plan for Luke Pepper’s stable star Opal Ridge this campaign, but the Scone based trainer believes a short freshen up and a substantial drop in weight will help Opal Ridge find her best form. Sent out a $2.80 favourite in The Kosciuszko first up despite having… Read More »
The next start for classy sprinter Buenos Noches is likely to be in Melbourne but it will not be in this Saturday’s $1 million Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield. Trainer Matthew Smith on Tuesday morning confirmed that the four-year-old, who finished a game second to Imperatriz in last Saturday’s Group 1 Champions… Read More »
The competition will be tougher on Saturday but Ballarat trainer Mitch Freedman was happy to give Skybird a confidence-boosting practice run at Caulfield on Tuesday morning. The undefeated filly had her first look at the scene of the $1.5 million Group 1 Thousand Guineas, where she worked with a modestly-performed stablemate who… Read More »
Shangri La Express has stamped himself as a Golden Slipper prospect with a tough win in the Golden Gift to remain unbeaten from his first two starts. With the winner’s purse from Saturday’s $1 million feature for two-year-olds, Shangri La Express has now banked enough prize money to secure a start… Read More »
Just as he had done a week earlier, Declan Bates stole a Group 1 race over a mile at Flemington on Pride Of Jenni. Bates and the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Pride Of Jenni took out the Empire Rose Stakes on the opening day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival and the pair reunited for Champions… Read More »
A different venue and more accomplished set of rivals posed no problem for Imperatriz, who completed an unbeaten Victorian spring campaign in Saturday’s Champions Sprint at Flemington. The flying Kiwi mare took her career Group 1 tally to eight when she held off The Everest runners Buenos Noches and In Secret to… Read More »
The addition of blinkers on the Chris Waller-trained Roots in the Hot Danish Stakes has proven to be a winning move. After finishing second last in the $2 million The Invitation at Randwick last start, a decision was later made to apply blinkers to the well-performed five-year-old mare for Saturday’s fillies… Read More »
The Lindsay Park team of Ben, Will and J D Hayes would like a little luck to go their way in what has been a frustrating week at Flemington. After Mr Brightside was touched out in the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley, the Hayes boys have suffered narrow losses with Apulia and… Read More »
Montefilia will not be the only recent addition to the Yulong team racing in green and white colours in Saturday’s Champions Stakes with Duais to have her first start since joining the ever-growing racing and breeding giant in the $3 million Group 1. A deal was completed this week to see… Read More »
Champion jockey James Mcdonald has taken out a Classic double during Melbourne Cup week guiding Godolphin filly Zardozi to an easy win at Flemington. McDonald won the Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) aboard Riff Rocket on the opening day of the four-day Carnival and returned on Thursday to score aboard Zardozi for James Cummings in… Read More »
While good fortune has largely been evading Antino in Melbourne this spring, new jockey Sam Clipperton has been busy making his own luck in Sydney and he hopes it might rub off. Clipperton celebrated the biggest moment of his career with an Everest victory aboard Think About It last month. On Saturday at… Read More »
Flemington trainer Simon Zahra had aspirations of tackling the main Group 1 sprint for three-year-olds during Melbourne Cup week, but instead has decided on a lesser Stakes race option. The Coolmore Stub Stakes (1200m) on day one of the four-day Carnival was initially the focus for Zahra with Shesallshenanigans, but a slight… Read More »
In the sixteen hours since Without A Fight saluted in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m), co-trainer Sam Freedman was yet to have a moment to himself to reflect fully on the achievement. Accepting that chaos of the good kind follows winning Australia’s most famous race, the 27-year-old stood together with the… Read More »
Twelve months after winning the inaugural Big Dance with Rustic Steel, Kris Lees has returned to add the Little Dance to his CV with smart gelding Spangler. While considered a consolation race for horses who don’t make the $3 million Big Dance (1600m) field, the Little Dance (1600m) boats a prizemoney… Read More »
Katherine Coleman has always known Roll On High was a filly with above-average ability and now the rest of the world does too after she charged into Thousand Guineas contention at Flemington on Tuesday. The daughter of Shamus Award now occupies a place on the second line of betting on the Group 1… Read More »
When owners Domeland first asked Sara Ryan if she would be their private trainer just over a year ago, she questioned their sanity. But the 29-year-old, who prepares a boutique team of 23 on the NSW Central Coast, is proving Domeland’s judgement to be spot on. After qualifying Attractable for the Melbourne… Read More »
Read the comments from each of the jockeys about their rides in the 2023 Melbourne Cup raced at Flemington on Tuesday 7th November. Winning Jockey: Mark Zahra During the run: âUnbelievable. If I couldâve thought Iâd have that run from (barrier) 16 Iâd have said he was unbeatable but to… Read More »
Imported galloper Without A Fight has etched his name into the history books by taking out the 163rd running of the Melbourne Cup at Flemington. Brought out to Australia for last year’s Melbourne Cup under UK trainers Simon and Ed Crisford, Without A Fight was not suited on the wet conditions, fading to finish 13th behind… Read More »
Race experience was to the fore in Tuesday’s Maribyrnong Plate, when Dublin Down edged out his stablemate Blue Stratum, and trainer Calvin McEvoy is now even more excited about what the future might hold for the pair. The Ballarat horseman, who trains in partnership with his father Tony, is confident both… Read More »
We take a look at the big bets the online bookmakers have taken on Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup. The Melbourne Cup always attracts a lot of betting action from punters around the country and this year is no different. Checkout the Melbourne Cup big bets as they come in. Best Bookies… Read More »
