The pre-race words of trainer Ciaron Maher were ringing in the ears of Steven Pateman as he brought Stern Idol to the bottom of the hill in the Brierly Steeplechase at Warrnambool. Pateman was aboard Tuesday’s $2.10 favourite at the Tozer Road double in the 3450m steeplechase, the feature race on the opening day… Read More »
Lindsay Park co-trainer Ben Hayes credited an important gear change and a jockey change for Tycoon Star’s recent Morphettville victory. Now the Lindsay Park team of Ben, Will and J D Hayes are hoping to parlay that success into a Group 1 victory when Tycoon Star heads to The Goodwood (1200m) at… Read More »
Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr have had to wait longer than they would have liked to get La Fracas back onto a Heavy track, but they’ve found one at Warrnambool. The mudlark will be out to maintain his unbeaten record on the wettest track condition in Wednesday’s $200,000 Listed… Read More »
European galloper Portland is still searching for his first win in Australia, but trainer Matthew Smith is convinced it isn’t far away. The import has put the writing on the wall at his past two starts with a late-closing third to Wootton Verni in the Neville Sellwood Stakes (2000m) and… Read More »
The complexion of this Saturday’s Group 2 Hollindale Stakes changed on Monday when Pride Of Jenni was confirmed for the $500,000 Group 2. The popular mare is among 20 nominations for the Gold Coast event, which also includes the past two Melbourne Cup winners, Knight’s Choice and Half Yours. The… Read More »
Stern Idol will be out to better his own Brierly Steeplechase record when he contests Tuesday’s $150,000 event, the headline event on Day 1 of the Warrnambool May Racing Carnival. The Ciaron Maher-trained import will carry 75kg in the 3450-metre event. The nine-year-old claimed the metric weight-carrying record from Some… Read More »
The Group One Tattersall’s Tiara is the goal for Victorian mare Splash Back after she upstaged several big name sprinters to capture the Victory Stakes at Eagle Farm. The winner of the Stocks Stakes at Moonee Valley in the spring, Splash Back ($8.50) had finished midfield behind Victory Stakes rival… Read More »
Country Championships Final winner Chidiac has made a successful transition to stakes grade with a narrow but determined victory in the Group Three Hawkesbury Crown. In doing so, she has provided rising apprentice Braith Nock his 300th career win and an early double on the stand-alone card after his triumph… Read More »
Skyhook proved there is no substitute for class and put himself firmly into the Stradbroke Handicap conversation with a brilliant all-the-way win in the Group 3 $250,000 Hawkesbury Guineas (1400m) at Hawkesbury on Saturday. A riding plan devised by trainers Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexious was carried out to the… Read More »
Lindsay Park’s domination of the richest race on Bendigo’s Golden Mile program continued on Saturday when the Hayes brothers produced the well-related Marffiano to win the VOBIS Gold Rush. Tycoon Star’s half-brother led home a Lindsay Park quinella when he defeated Resonant in the race for two-year-olds that carries $250,000… Read More »
Stormy Marco made an impressive debut and led home a Chris Waller stable trifecta as hot favourite Tenenbaum flopped in the Clarendon Stakes (1400m) at Hawkesbury on Saturday. The two-year-old feature is the traditional opener at the Hawkesbury stand-alone and is often used by Waller to prepare his emerging two-year-olds… Read More »
Trainer Danny O’Brien will be looking to tick off another box when Cannae runs in the South Australian Derby at Morphettville. O’Brien has 23 Group 1 winners to his credit and has, on occasions, been a shareholder in the ownership of some of those wins. But to date he has not owned a… Read More »
The Ciaron Maher stable has high hopes for imported galloper Zahrann who will make his Australian debut at Bendigo. The Listed Golden Mile (1600m) on Saturday will be the Irish-bred galloper’s seventh race start, and he comes to Australia with some good form behind him. Bendigo has been dubbed the ‘Nursery of Champions’ with horses the… Read More »
Well-travelled sprinter Way To The Stars will return to his home state for the first time in more than a year at Hawkesbury where trainer Matt Smith expects him to run a bold race. A dual Listed winner, Smith says the gelding has had genuine excuses at his past two… Read More »
Consistent filly Gold Coast Belle will look to add some Black Type to her name when she runs in a Stakes race at Bendigo. A winner of three races and placed second on two occasions from her five career starts, Gold Coast Belle runs in the Listed Bendigo Guineas (1400m)… Read More »
If Tommy Berry can win the $1 million The Archer for the first time, he will have fellow jockey James Mcdonald to thank. Berry has picked up the mount on the Tony and Maddysen Sears -trained Yellow Brick in Sunday’s Rockhampton feature after McDonald was initially offered the ride but declined due to a pre-booked family… Read More »
Trainer Matt Cumani would not mind a sedately run South Australian Derby. Single Choice runs in the Group 1 classic over 2518m at Morphettville on Saturday and comes into the race having won two of his past three starts. He scored over 1800m in Group 2 company in the Autumn Classic at Caulfield three runs back… Read More »
Mornington-based horseman Cliff Brown is known for his patience, and he has needed plenty of it with Von Hauke. Brown had considerable success around Australia before moving to Singapore where he spent the best part of 15 years plying his trade. Since his return, Brown has had a steady stream… Read More »
feaTrainer David Pfieffer is replicating the formula he used with Oh Diamond Lil in the spring as bids to deliver the bonny mare a second stakes success in the Hawkesbury Crown. The five-year-old led throughout to win the Group 3 Tibbie Stakes (1400m) at Newcastle first-up in September and Pfieffer… Read More »
The potential of picking up some important Black Type has led the Ciaron Maher stable to head to Adelaide with Twilight Elegance. The Listed Port Adelaide Cup (2518m) at Morphettville on Saturday will be the mare’s chance to pick up some Black Type and, more importantly, improve her value as a potential broodmare. Twilight… Read More »
