Perseverance has paid off for trainer Grahame Begg who captured the final Group 1 race of the Melbourne Spring Carnival with Magic Time. Begg was looking forward to the Spring Carnival but had his Caulfield Cup hope Nonconformist withdrawn on the eve of the race while his Melbourne Cup Lunar Flare went… Read More »
Chris Waller and James Mcdonald continued their successful association in Melbourne from Flemington to Caulfield as Joliestar stamped herself as a filly of the future with her win in the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m). A third victory for Waller in the race and a second for McDonald, the pair have now combined… Read More »
The changes made to the Caulfield Cup Carnival have paid a dividend for connections of Run Harry Run with his victory in a Stakes race at Caulfield. Lining up for his fourth race start and coming off victories at Kilmore and Bendigo, Run Harry Run took out the Group 3 Blue… Read More »
The John O’Shea-trained Stroke Of Luck ($7) has broken the track record (2.21.16) in winning the $300,000 The Beauford over 2300m at Newcastle’s standalone meeting. Running down the straight with a tail wind, the four-year-old proved too strong for Torrens ($12) by half a length at the post. Race favourite Sky Lab ($4.40F)… Read More »
It wasn’t exactly D-day for Skew Wiff at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day, but the Kiwi mare’s trainer Mark Walker was still relieved to see her win. It was the four-year-old’s second start in Australia, following a sixth placing in the Group 2 Tristarc Stakes on October 21, and while those who… Read More »
Though at longer odds in the markets, James Cummings is hoping Gravina can replicate similar form turnarounds of the past when he lines up at Newcastle on Saturday. The six-year-old lines up again in The Hunter (1300m) with the stable looking to go two places better than the third placing in the… Read More »
Last year’s Golden Slipper winner Fireburn has a date with an as-yet-unnamed Japanese stallion after it was announced on Thursday that the daughter of Rebel Dane had been retired. “She wasn’t on the market,” Louis Mihalyka of Laurel Oak Bloodstock said. “We were approached by an agent who I know well… Read More »
With a name like Coal Crusher you could reasonably expect the gelding to feel at home in a place like Newcastle, and Joe Pride will be hoping the horse feels just like that in the feature event The Hunter on Saturday. The $1 million highlight over 1300-metres takes New South Wales racing’s centre… Read More »
The fanfare was understandable after last Saturday’s final race at Flemington, which marked the last time Damien Oliver rode at the track. It closed out the biggest week of the year after Australia’s most famous racecourse, where Oliver is the most successful rider in Melbourne Cup Carnival history. But many would… Read More »
If recent form is any indication, Buffalo River is enjoying his racing and trainer Mike Moroney believes he is well in the hunt for an elusive win at the highest level in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday. Having won two of his latest three outings, the… Read More »
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 »
