The dream of competing in this year’s Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) has been shattered for the connections of the reigning New Zealand Horse of the Year, Sharp âNâ Smart. After an uncharacteristically lacklustre performance at the Group 1 Arrowfield Stud Plate (1600m) at Hastings, a subsequent veterinary examination revealed… Read More »
The Turnbull Stakes in recent years proven the right formula towards for the Caulfield Cup. Run over 2000m under set-weights and penalties at Flemington on Saturday, the Turnbull Stakes is often seen as a make-or-break race for a number of spring campaign hopefuls. Recent Turnbull Stakes winners Verry Elleegant (2020) and Incentivise (2021) went on to win the Caulfield Cup that… Read More »
She won’t be his only runner, but Chris Waller’s The Everest representative is now known with the champion trainer announcing that Espiona would fill his slot the $20 million sprint. Waller, in conjunction with Chris Waller Racing partners Noel and Maria Greenhalgh, Ingham Racing, Magic Bloodstock and Neville and Jenny Morgan,… Read More »
Trainer Simon Miller floated the idea of taking Amelia’s Jewel to Sydney for the $5 million G1 King Charles III Stakes (1600m) after her Moonee Valley heroics on Friday. Amelia’s Jewel enhanced her growing reputation by winning the G2 Stocks Stakes (1600m) in track record time to keep her perfect Melbourne… Read More »
Just Fine has incurred a Melbourne Cup penalty for his win in last Saturday’s The Metropolitan with the imported stayer’s weight elevated 0.5kg to 53kg. The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained-trained stayer extended his unbeaten run in Australia to three with his track record win in the 2400-metre Group 1 The… Read More »
Danny O’Brien has a $750,000 Group 1 at Young Werther’s favourite track he could direct the stable stalwart towards this Saturday, but the Flemington horseman will take the opportunity to chase the big bucks in Sydney. The rejuvenated gelding will run in the Group 2 Hill Stakes at Rosehill, where the… Read More »
Champion jockey James McDonald is set to ride the formidable sprinter, Hawaii Five Oh, in the forthcoming $20 million The Everest, following Aquisâ selection of the horse for their coveted slot. This decision comes after the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained runner demonstrated exceptional form, finishing swiftly in second place… Read More »
Ameliaâs Jewel, trained by Simon Miller and holding an impressive record of 11: 9-2-0, is set to compete in the Group 1 Toorak Handicap at Caulfield. Owner Peter Walsh confirmed, âWeâre definitely going to the Toorak, I spoke to Simon (Miller) a few minutes ago, so thatâs locked in.â This… Read More »
After winning eight of his first nine starts in Queensland, Antino made his Melbourne debut at Flemington on September 16 which resulted in regular rider James Orman being replaced. Blake Shinn took over in the Group 3 Sandown Stakes (1500m) on Sunday and the gelding with to gelding needing to pull out all stops to score a narrow,… Read More »
Joe Pride saddled up one runner at Randwick on Epsom Handicap day, but he took two Everest contenders to the races. Think About It and Private Eye, nicknamed ‘Spud’ and ‘Spade’ respectively, both have slots in next month’s $20 million The Everest after the latter was secured by slot holders Max… Read More »
James McDonald flew into Melbourne on Saturday night and the thought of a sunrise spin around Flemington aboard headline Hong Kong galloper Romantic Warrior saw him wake early even without the need of an alarm. That excitement was vindicated when the gallop confirmed for him that despite having ‘a few… Read More »
“Girls are taking over.” That was the statement from Rachel King after she and Kathy O’Hara made history at Randwick on Saturday by becoming the first female jockeys to ride Group 1 winners on the same program in Australia. O’Hara got the ball rolling with victory aboard the Chris Waller -trained Rediener in the… Read More »
Think About It has reaffirmed his Everest favouritism with a determined victory in the Premiere Stakes at Randwick as Hawaii Five Oh put his hand up for a slot with a slashing second. Sent out a $1.85 Ladbrokes favourite, Think About It hit the front halfway up the straight and pulled out… Read More »
Gai Waterhouse’s love affair with the Flight Stakes has continued as racing’s leading lady collected her eleventh win in the Group 1 feature courtesy of lightly raced filly Tropical Squall. Waterhouse now sits just two shy of the record 13 Flight Stakes winner prepared by her father, legendary trainer T… Read More »
Unfulfilled potential as a force in feature races in his three-year-old year, as a five-year-old Rhinoceros may be coming to hand at just the right time as firmer tracks are likely to be a common feature of Victorian racing over the summer months. Notching his first win since January in the… Read More »
Trainer Mark Walker has reiterated the intention to remain in Melbourne with Imperatriz after the mare bettered her own track record in winning the Group 1 Moir Stakes. Imperatriz stopped the clock at 56.47 seconds in winning the 1000m sprint at Moonee Valley on Friday night, taking 0.21 seconds of the time she recorded in winning the… Read More »
Ballarat trainers Tony and Calvin McEvoy will press on with plans to run Veight in the Caulfield Guineas. The Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on October 14 has been the target for Veight since the colt entered the Ballarat stables of the father-and-son training team this campaign. Veight was explosive winning first-up in the McNeil… Read More »
When the Kiwi’s travel, it pays to keep a close watch. In the case of Mark Walker, he is in a slightly different situation establishing an Australian base at Cranbourne, but he does have an Australian first-starter set to run at Moonee Valley on Friday night. Unbeaten in New Zealand, Zourion runs in the Group… Read More »
A good performance in a Group 1 sprint at Moonee Valley could land Queensland sprinter Rothfire a start in The Everest. Trainer Rob Heathcote and connections of Rothfire have twice previously given up a berth in The Everest, once due to injury and once due to poor form. Heathcote said there had been brief discussions… Read More »
Pressure, nerves, excitement. Joe Pride is feeling all of them as he prepares nominal Everest favourite Think About It for his seasonal return in the Premiere Stakes (1200m) at Randwick. It comes a fortnight after stablemate Private Eye booked himself an Everest slot with an outstanding victory in the Shorts and while Sydney’s showpiece… Read More »
