Race favourite Pericles has been scratched from Saturday’s Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m). Trainer James Cummings reported the gelding had “blood in the near side nostril” after completing trackwork on Tuesday, and a subsequent endoscopic examination detected blood in its trachea. Racing NSW Stewards have approved the withdrawal, and Pericles… Read More »
One of Randwick’s two big Group One mile handicaps will likely see a full field this year and the barrier draw has done little to narrow down the key chances, with $6 favourite Pericles drawing 14 for the $1.5 million Epsom Handicap (1600m). The stable also have last start Group… Read More »
James Harron did not take long to lock in a replacement runner in this year’s The Everest with the prominent bloodstock agent on Tuesday morning announcing that Cylinder would be his runner in the $20 million race. The James Cummings-trained son of Exceed And Excel is a three-year-old, as was last… Read More »
Cylinder is confirmed as a contender in the upcoming $20 million The Everest, securing a slot thanks to slotholder James Harron. Harron made the move after Giga Kick’s withdrawal created an opening. While Cylinder’s participation is confirmed, the jockey’s identity remains undisclosed. Australian jockey Zac Purton has been confirmed as… Read More »
Star mare Amelia’s Jewel had her first track gallop at Moonee Valley this morning (Monday) and passed it with flying colours, according to trainer, Simon Miller. “She went around 1000 evens and home in 400 and was good, she scooted around,” Simon Miller told Tabtouch. “I must admit I thought she may… Read More »
Gai Waterhouse already holds the record for the number of The Metropolitan winners but rarely has the Hall of Fame trainer gone into the Group 1 with as strong a hand as she holds this year. Not only do Waterhouse and her training partner Adrian Bott have all-in even money favourite,… Read More »
Charm Stone did not go as close in the Golden Rose as In Secret, but Michael Kent Jnr remains confident in her ability to also use it as a springboard to Coolmore Stud Stakes success. The 1200-metre Group 1 at Flemington on November 4 is the most likely next start for Charm Stone,… Read More »
Another shrewd placement from John Sargent sees his stable with a genuine VRC Oaks chance after Harlow Mist won the Kennedy Oaks Preview (1800m) at Flemington and maintaining a perfect race record. At her third start, and after wins at Goulburn and Scone, the three-year-old ran 0.27 seconds outside of Barb Raider’s… Read More »
John O’Shea hasn’t given up on Lost And Running making a late bid for an Everest berth, despite his unplaced first-up performance in the Shorts. The scratching of reigning champion Giga Kick on Saturday with a muscle tear means slot holder James Harron is back in the market for a runner, while Godolphin,… Read More »
They don’t call Joao Moreira ‘The Magic Man’ for nothing. The internationally decorated jockey was at his brilliant best in Saturday’s Golden Rose (1400m), extricating Militarize from a sticky position halfway up the straight and sooling him home to post a last-stride win. Moreira has now ridden Militarize three times for as… Read More »
Uncle Bryn went one better than last year when he dominantly secured the Caulfield Cup ballot exemption that accompanies victory in the Cattanch’s Jewellers MRC Foundation Cup. The Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained import lived up to the high rating the stable has had on him since landing in Australia when… Read More »
Steparty will be defending an unbeaten record in next month’s Caulfield Guineas after the colt scored a tenacious win in the main Victorian lead-up to next month’s $3 million Group 1. The Paul Preusker-trained three-year-old added a fifth picket to the fence he has been building since winning a Ballarat maiden… Read More »
It wasn’t the prettiest win, but Espiona has raced herself into contention for trainer Chris Waller’s Everest slot with a commanding performance in the Golden Pendant at Rosehill. The quirky mare wanted to get her head to the side as she ranged up to eventual third placegetter Banana Queen but once jockey… Read More »
Intent on qualifying Athabascan for the Melbourne Cup, trainer John O’Shea will bypass a start in the Metropolitan and head straight to Victoria with the in-form stayer. The Irish import made it two wins on the trot when he stormed home from the back in Saturday’s Colin Stephen Quality (2400m) at Rosehill,… Read More »
Trainer Bjorn Baker is keeping a lid on Everest talk about his exciting colt Ozzmosis, but his owners are keen to run the undefeated three-year-old in the $20 million sprint if a slot holder comes calling. That scenario is a step closer after Ozzmosis resumed with a devasting victory in Saturday’s… Read More »
Star sprinter Giga Kick has been ruled out of The Everest with a torn muscle sustained in his first-up run at Moonee Valley. Giga Kick was beaten into third place behind Imperatriz in the Group 2 McEwen Stakes (1000m) at The Valley on September 9, after missing the start. Jockey Craig Williams made… Read More »
Damien Oliver will be looking to add to his Group 1 tally when he partners Alligator Blood possibly for the last time at Caulfield. Alligator Blood runs in the Underwood Stakes (1800m) on Saturday with Oliver aboard before the champion jockey is expected to hand the reins back to Tim Clark in coming weeks. Clark was… Read More »
A resounding last-start win has put Athabascan on a Melbourne Cup path with trainer John O’Shea seeing no reason why the French import can’t go on with the job. The five-year-old has been in Australia for less than a year and after a seasoning campaign in the autumn, which included a Canberra… Read More »
A plan that has been months in the making has come to fruition for trainer Bjorn Baker following confirmation Overpass has become the seventh horse to secure a start in the $20 million The Everest. Narrowly edged out by Private Eye first-up in the Shorts (1100m) last Saturday, Overpass’s connections this week closed… Read More »
Sam Freedman has been happy to talk about Without A Fight but he is now more than ready to see the galloper back at the races. That appearance comes in the Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield on Saturday. Without A Fight came to Australia last year with Simon and Ed Crisford for… Read More »
