Skyhook ticked an important box by stretching his brilliance to a mile with an emphatic win in the Gunsynd Classic, putting himself firmly in the frame for a shot at the Golden Eagle in the spring. Co-trainer Sterling Alexiou confirmed the three-year-old had earned a spell after taking out Saturday’s… Read More »
The Ciaron Maher-trained Royal Supremacy has done a ‘Pride Of Jenni’ in leading throughout to score in the Q22 at Eagle Farm. With Pride Of Jenni withdrawn on race morning because of the Heavy 9 track, Royal Supremacy took up the leader’s role in the Group 2 2200m weight-for-age contest… Read More »
No, a champion will not let one go. Despite the hopes of some of his rivals, James Mcdonald had all of those exceptional riding qualities on display as he steered Tron Bolt to victory in the Group 1 JJ Atkins Stakes (1600m) at Eagle Farm, and overtook Malcolm Johnston’s long-standing… Read More »
A trip north or a break to get ready for the spring is what trainer Lloyd Kennewell must weigh up after Straand Deal made it a winning hat-trick at Sandown. Success in the Sportsbet Same Race Multi Handicap (2400m) on Saturday was Straand Deal’s first at the trip after victories… Read More »
Rising staying talent The budgiesmugla has justified the decision to bypass the Brisbane Cup in preference for a Listed assignment at Rosehill, maintaining his perfect 2400-metre record in the process. Trainer Bjorn Baker, who is in England to oversee the Royal Ascot bid of gun sprinter Overpass, opted for Saturday’s… Read More »
Trainer Lloyd Kennewell is already looking ahead to the major Group 1 sprint for three-year-olds in Melbourne with debut winner Mbube. The two-year-old son of Rubick was heavily supported to win the Sportsbet Fast Form Handicap (1000m) at Sandown on Saturday and Kennewell said the colt will be in the… Read More »
Matt Smith remains in two minds over whether Portland will contest The Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Rosehill with the trainer not keen to run him on a firming track. Portland was nominated for Saturday’s race and the Q22 (2200m) in Brisbane, but Smith opted not to accept for the… Read More »
It is not often a horse with Cox Plate ambitions starts in the first race on the card, well before the main feature race action of the day, but that will be the case at Eagle Farm on Saturday when the imported four-year-old gelding Yellow Jersey goes out to face… Read More »
Both the 2024 Melbourne Cup winner (Knight’s Choice) and the 2025 Melbourne Cup winner (Half Yours) will be in action in The Q22 … a Group 2 race which many feel is on its way to Group 1 recognition … when that contest rounds off the day’s action at Eagle… Read More »
The hopes of Victorian trainer Cliff Brown winning one of Australia’s biggest handicaps were dealt a blow by the barrier draw. Brown saddles Sepals (barrier 21) and Von Hauke (19) in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday and concedes the pair’s chances from those barriers does not… Read More »
Connections of improving stayer Thebudgiesmugla have until Thursday afternoon to decide whether he remains in Sydney for a stakes assignment or faces a two-mile test in the Group 2 Brisbane Cup. The Bjorn Baker-trained five-year-old is a $2.60 favourite for The Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2400m) and a $5.50 chance… Read More »
Having captured three of the past six renewals of the Winter Cup, Chris Waller is confident Caboche has the right profile to add his name to the honour roll at Rosehill on Saturday. While the seven-year-old isn’t the classiest horse in the master trainer’s stable, he has been a wonderful… Read More »
It’s Stradbroke week and co-trainer Tony Sears has no concerns about the chances of his charge Yellow Brick in Queensland’s $3 million signature race on Saturday … a race in which Yellow Brick finished second last year at the unwanted odds of $41. A question mark would have been raised… Read More »
Peter Snowden is ruling a line through King Of Roseau’s Kingsford Smith Cup performance saying the race was a disaster for the horse from start to finish. But the trainer anticipates a much more suitable set-up in Saturday’s $3 million Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) and if that transpires, it will give… Read More »
Calvin McEvoy says dual Cups winner Half Yours is finally in a race that is going to suit. And McEvoy said the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups winner will relish the presence of Pride Of Jenni in the Group 2 Q22 (2200m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday. The Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained galloper… Read More »
From the start of the racing career of Martist, trainer Tony Gollan has had his eyes on the Queensland Winter Carnival. And the major race on the Queensland Winter Carnival calendar for two-year-olds comes up on Saturday with the Group 1 JJ Atkins (1600m) at Eagle Farm. Martist is one of 13 runners in… Read More »
Trainer Rob Heathcote was not unhappy to see the rain falling in Brisbane as Rothfire prepares for the Stradbroke Handicap. Rothfire worked at Eagle Farm on Tuesday ahead of Saturday’s Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) in which the ‘old marvel’ drew barrier 13 in the 23-horse field that has a capacity of 18 runners plus five emergencies. The rising nine-year-old will jump from… Read More »
Not often is a trainer spoilt with two suitable wintertime staying options on a Saturday but it will be rain that determines where Matthew Smith sends Portland this weekend. The last start Listed Lord Mayor’s Cup (2000m) winner has nominations for both the Group 2 The Q22 (2200m) at Eagle… Read More »
It is 36 years since Grahame Begg tasted success at the highest level in Queensland and with the field now set for the state’s signature race on Saturday, he is hopeful that Splash Back can break that long drought. You have to go way back to Eye Of The Sky’s… Read More »
Former Sydney-trained galloper Wanaruah has notched his most important win yet in the feature sprint at Randwick. The Scone-based stable of Brett and Georgie Cavanough might soon be expanding after the in-form yard continued its rich vein of form with Wanaruah in the Bob Charley AO Stakes at Randwick. Having… Read More »
