Ciaron Maher and David Eustace have proven the doubters wrong with Coolangatta holding on to claim the Group 1 Moir Stakes at Moonee Valley. Lining up for just her sixth start in Friday night’s 1000m dash, Coolangatta was tackling the Moonee Valley lights for the first time along with more seasoned, older… Read More »
Tijuana has claimed a second stakes victory by riding the speed to claim the Stutt Stakes at Moonee Valley. The win on Friday night in the Group 2 race for three-year-olds over 1600m confirmed Tijuana’s spring credentials and set him up for a start in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on October… Read More »
Blake Shinn has always regarded Moonee Valley as one of his favourite tracks but was at a loss to know when the last time he had ridden a winner under lights at the track. He rectified that situation on Friday night when he guided Sydney visitor Queen Of The Ball to an… Read More »
Gary Portelli admits an outside barrier draw has dealt Fireburn’s Golden Rose chances a crushing blow and if not for her gate, he would have been heading into the Group 1 race supremely confident. With the scratching of Best Of Bordeaux, who instead tackles the Heritage Stakes (1100m), the Golden Slipper heroine… Read More »
I’m Thunderstruck is ticking all the boxes for his trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr as he progresses towards his spring goal of the Cox Plate. Next step on that journey is the Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Sandown on Sunday as the New Zealand-bred five-year-old aims to go back-to-back at weight-for-age… Read More »
Former Singapore champion The Inferno has had mixed luck since relocating to Australia early in 2021. The Cliff Brown-trained galloper won the Group 2 McEwen Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley last year before flashing home late to just miss in the Group 1 Moir Stakes over the same course and distance. Things have… Read More »
For the second year running the Group 1 Underwood Stakes has brought together a small but select band of gallopers. Zaaki, who won the 1800m weight-for-age contest at Sandown last year against four opponents, will be out to add a second win in the Group 1 contest on Sunday in what… Read More »
Victorian raider Daumier can etch his name in the record books if he becomes the first Blue Diamond Stakes winner to capture the Group 1 Golden Rose. Incredibly, the only winner of Melbourne’s premier juvenile race to have contested the Golden Rose was the three-year-old’s Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained stablemate Artorius,… Read More »
Godolphin galloper Paulele has the potential to be Group 1 winner with his trainer James Cummings hoping the sprinter can climb to the top this campaign. Paulele heads to Moonee Valley on Friday night to run in Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m) and break a run of excruciating minor placings at the highest level. Last campaign Paulele finished third in the T… Read More »
Godolphin trainer James Cummings is not going to get too far ahead of himself with Cox Plate favourite Anamoe who is over his soundness scare. Anamoe was graded three-out-of-five lame following his victory in the Group 1 George Main Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday but has been given the all-clear to press-on with his campaign… Read More »
Trainer Francis Henri has confirmed the ownership group of Melbourne Cup winner Verry Elleegant have paid the late entry fee for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Last years Melbourne Cup winner was disappointing in her French debut finishing at the tail of the field but a much improved run… Read More »
The writing was on the wall with Joyful Fortune who had matched motors with Eduardo in a recent Sydney trial and Josh Parr making the trip down to Melbourne for the one ride. Jumping an easing favourite for new trainer Mark Newnham, Parr led the field down the straight over 1100m… Read More »
Percy Sykes Stakes winner Paris Dior will tackle the Group 1 Golden Rose after connections decided not to run her on a wet track in the Tea Rose Stakes at Randwick. The filly was a race morning scratching from the third leg of the Princess Series, trainers Peter and Paul Snowden… Read More »
Cardinal Gem’s winning strike rate may not represent his level of talent as the gelding notched up his third career win from fourteen starts, but his connections are starting to be rewarded for his consistency. “We’ve always had a very good opinion of him but he hasn’t had a lot… Read More »
Given the pressure that accompanies training the world’s best sprinter, Chris Waller admits it’s difficult to enjoy Nature Strip’s performances until the race is over. But he does make sure he savours the moment when the job is done. Waller found himself doing just that at Randwick on Saturday when the… Read More »
James Mcdonald has ranked Anamoe among the best horses he has ridden after the entire put together back-to-back wins for the first time in his career with a dominant performance in the Group 1 George Main Stakes. Underlining his star quality, Anamoe ($1.65 fav) showed his versatility to sit outside leader Hinged before… Read More »
Boogie Dancer charged her way into Thousand Guineas contention with a brilliant win in one of the key lead-up events at Caulfield on Saturday. The Peter Moody-trained filly was not quite as dominant as Aft Cabin, who took a stranglehold on Caulfield Guineas favouritism with his win in the colts and… Read More »
Trainer Annabel Neasham has made the call to scratch Zaaki from a Group 1 assignment in Sydney and head to Melbourne with the gelding. Zaaki was scratched from Saturday’s George Main Stakes (1600m) on Friday afternoon and instead the gelding will contest the Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Sandown on Sunday… Read More »
James Mcdonald joked that he may have locked in his Melbourne Cup ride too early after Durston took out the Newcastle Cup. Success in the Group 3 race over 2300m on Friday followed Durston’s win in the Listed Wyong Cup (2100m) on September 2. McDonald earlier in the week announced he… Read More »
With a preparation that has gone like clockwork combined with the benefits of a steady, patient approach, Anamoe will get every chance to reaffirm his status as Sydney’s latest weight-for-age star at Randwick. The Godolphin four-year-old signalled his spring intentions with a brilliant first-up win in the Winx Stakes and… Read More »
