The horse that put young trainer Clayton Douglas on the map is set to have the first start of his campaign in defence of his Everest title. Giga Kick resumes in the Group 2 McEwen Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday in what shapes as the sprinters only Melbourne appearance before the $20… Read More »
As the deadline for the 2023 Melbourne Cup entries looms, Racing Victoria’s chief handicapper David Hegan is puzzled by the enigmatic Irish horse Vauban. Trained by Willie Mullins, Vauban has an unusual racing history, with only 14 startsâeight of them over hurdles. “I can’t really remember a horse with a… Read More »
After last year’s heartbreak of having what would’ve been his first Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) runner scratched on race day with a bruised heel, Grahame Begg has his sights on redemption with Lunar Flare to be aimed solely at the race that stops a nation. The daughter of 2013 Cup winner… Read More »
A week at the beach beckons for The Everest second favourite I Wish I Win, who has recovered well from his first-up third placing in Saturday’s Group 1 Memsie Stakes at Caulfield. Peter Moody on Monday morning released his stable update to his co-owners Waikato Stud after the five-year-old had been… Read More »
Trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr will give Globe the benefit of some added experience at Moonee Valley ahead of his first-up run. Globe is set to resume in the Group 2 Feehan Stakes (1600m) on Saturday as he looks to build on his unbeaten four start career. The five-year-old son of Charm Spirit has not… Read More »
Mr Brightside has been a special horse for Lindsay Park providing the stable with a number of firsts. The New Zealand-bred gelding provided Ben and J D Hayes with their first Group 1 when he took out the Doncaster Handicap at Randwick last year. With brother Will, the twin of J D, joining the training… Read More »
David Payne has masterminded a Chelmsford Stakes boilover, producing roughie Navajo Peak to upstage several weight-for-age stars and put himself in the frame for some even bigger targets. The gelding was sent out the equal outsider of the Group 2 field at $41 but Payne took a different view, telling jockey Chad… Read More »
An era has ended with Chris Waller announcing the retirement of champion sprinter Nature Strip. The decision was made almost immediately after the nine-year-old finished down the track in the Concorde Stakes (1000m) at Randwick on Saturday with Waller convening a spontaneous press conference to confirm the news. Standing alongside Nature… Read More »
Michael Hawkes has compared Remarque to grand sprinter Chautauqua in terms of natural ability but says a number of issues have prevented him from realising his potential â until now. The five-year-old has put his hand up for a slot in The Everest with an against-the-odds win in Saturday’s Concorde Stakes (1000m) at… Read More »
Benedetta has ticked off an important Stakes race victory for her future as a broodmare, but trainer Jason Warren says there is a lot of unfinished business remaining. Having now won six of her eight career starts, Benedetta claimed her first ‘Black Type’ win when successful in the Group 3 Cockram Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield… Read More »
Champion apprentice Zac Lloyd has proven a capable fill in for Sydney’s leading jockey James McDonald, answering a late call-up to guide Tiz Invincible to a dynamic win in the Group 2 Furious Stakes at Randwick. McDonald injured his ankle in a race day mishap at the Wyong Cup meeting and while… Read More »
Champion jockey James McDonald is facing an uncertain future after a fall during the Wyong Cup day. McDonald, a seven-time premiership winner, was riding the Godolphin-owned Razors in the Da Vinci 3&4YO Benchmark 68 Handicap when the accident occurred. The mishap took place right after the race commenced; Razors knuckled… Read More »
Champion Australian jockey Zac Purton has secured a highly coveted spring ride, partnering with the well-regarded international horse Light Infantry. The Hong Kong Jockey Club has granted Purton special clearance to return to Australia, where he will team up with the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained galloper for two elite… Read More »
Cranbourne trainers Ken and Kasey Keys can head to their spring goal without the expectation of Scheelite remaining unbeaten. Scheelite won his first two starts before returning from a break to be beaten out of a place in the Group 3 Vain Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on August 19. The colt returns to Caulfield on… Read More »
The much-hyped sprint duel between I Wish I Win and Giga Kick has hit a roadblock, cooling the feverish anticipation that surrounded the proposed event. While Wednesday night’s unveiling of the Cranbourne-hosted 1200-meter clash set the racing world abuzz, it seems that enthusiasm isn’t universal. The reluctance stems from the… Read More »
He departed Perth as a promising apprentice with the racing world at his feet and returns home to where it all began as one of Australia’s greatest-ever jockeys. Western Australian-born Damien Oliver has called time on his decorated riding career and will retire following the Ascot Pinnacles carnival in December. Oliver… Read More »
The Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained Veight will commence his spring campaign at Caulfield that the trainers hope will lead to a Caulfield Guineas victory. The three-year-old runs in the Group 3 McNeil Stakes (1200m) on Saturday, with the aim of being third up into the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on October 14. Veight showed… Read More »
A fitter but still underdone Mr Brightside is ready to tackle his first Group 1 assignment of the Melbourne Spring Carnival. The Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday is the spring opener and Mr Brightside will enter the race second-up. He has already collected the Group 2 P B Lawrence Stakes over Saturday’s course… Read More »
Under-rated mare Hinged will get the chance to step out of the shadow of popular stablemate Fangirl when she headlines trainer Chris Waller’s squad for the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes at Randwick. The careers of both mares have consistently crossed for the past two seasons, and it has usually been Fangirl who has… Read More »
Romantic Warrior has been booked on a flight to Melbourne with the Hong Kong champion due to land on September 16, gearing up for the Turnbull Stakes and the Cox Plate in October. The dual QEII Cup and Hong Kong Cup winner will enter quarantine this weekend after meeting all… Read More »
