Jockey Luke Currie has already won this season’s Magic Millions Classic and will get a better idea about his hopes of back-to-back Blue Diamond Stakes victories when favourite Hanseatic resumes in one of the Previews. Currie is well placed to judge the potential of young horses, having won two of… Read More »
Popular Godolphin sprinter Osborne Bulls has been retired as a multiple Group One placegetter. Godolphin announced on Wednesday the six-year-old would join its Lifetime Care Program, which retrains ex-racehorses in other disciplines. The gelding retires with nine wins from his 20 starts and nine placings, including five seconds at Group… Read More »
Trainer David Vandyke has confirmed star Queensland three-year-old Alligator Blood will press on to a Melbourne campaign, with the Australian Guineas and All-Star Mile both targets. Alligator Blood will have his next run in the Group Three CS Hayes Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on February 15, two weeks before the… Read More »
Four-year-old gelding Star Missile is in a good position in early polling for a spot in the rich All-Star Mile at Caulfield. Voting for this year’s $5 million All-Star Mile (1600m) on March 14 opened last week and the Greg Eurell-trained Star Missile, who has a large group of owners… Read More »
Star sprinter Nature Strip has shown he is on target for a first-up tilt at the Lightning Stakes at Flemington where he can add a fourth Group One win to his record. Nature Strip cruised to a barrier trial win at Warwick Farm on Tuesday. He easily led the 900m-heat… Read More »
Arrowfield stallion Not A Single Doubt has been retired from active duty and is under veterinary care for pulmonary disease. The stud said the 18-year-old had shown no improvement despite ongoing treatment. “He suffers respiratory compromise at rest and even short periods of hand walking exacerbate this,” Arrowfield boss John… Read More »
Racing Queensland has prioritised an improved nationwide television coverage in its negotiations for a new media rights deal. Racing Minister Stirling Hinchliffe has also urged that whoever wins the media rights provides an increased coverage of Queensland races. The media rights involve television coverage of Queensland racing with Sky Channel… Read More »
Melbourne Cup winner Vow And Declare features among nominations for the $1.5 million Australian Cup at Flemington while dual winner Harlem is also entered. Nominations for three feature Group One races at Flemington were released on Monday, with the weight-for-age Australian Cup (2000m) on March 7 attracting 67 nominations with… Read More »
Sunlight will not be ready to defend the Newmarket Handicap but the star sprinting mare is still being aimed at Royal Ascot after an off-season injury setback which required surgery. Four-year-old Sunlight suffered a chip to the outside of a splint bone in a hind leg in a spelling paddock… Read More »
A quality field looks set to contest the Group Two Australia Stakes (1200m) at The Valley, with six individual Group One winners among the nominations. The 1200m weight-for-age race is the feature on Friday night’s program and while entries have been extended the 14 nominations taken on Monday include Hey… Read More »
Multiple Group One winner Hey Doc remains on track for a tilt at the Al Quoz Sprint in Dubai if he pleases trainer Tony McEvoy in his upcoming Melbourne assignments. Hey Doc was a dominant winner of the Group One Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) in Perth on November 30 at his… Read More »
Star stablemates Yes Yes Yes and Nature Strip will oppose each other in a barrier trial at Warwick Farm before most likely going on separate paths. Trainer Chris Waller has overseas ambitions for both with Nature Strip slated to contest the Group One Lightning Stakes in Melbourne first-up with the… Read More »
Reigning Blue Diamond favourite Hanseatic will put his credentials on show when he makes his return in the Preview at Caulfield. Hanseatic will try to give his trainer Anthony Freedman and owner Sheikh Mohammed a second-straight Blue Diamond next month after Lyre’s success a year ago. The colt won the… Read More »
Melbourne Cup winner Vow And Declare could chase feature races in three states during the autumn and winter starting with the Australian Cup. The Danny O’Brien-trained stayer rose to stardom in the spring winning the $8 million Melbourne Cup in a memorable finish after running second in the Caulfield Cup…. Read More »
Lord Von Costa, a horse who has come back from two tendon injuries, has delivered an emotional win for her connections at Flemington. Trained by Donna Scott at Albury, the family-owned and bred Lord Von Costa’s victory in Saturday’s Thankyou Firefighters (1200m) at Flemington was the seven-year-old gelding’s first win… Read More »
Progressive South Australian sprinter Bold Star has made a habit of winning in Melbourne this campaign and the gelding has done so again to land his first stakes win at Flemington. Bold Star’s narrow victory in Saturday’s Listed Kensington Stakes (1000m) was the four-year-old gelding’s third win in Melbourne from… Read More »
Promising three-year-old Alabama Express is on target to chase a Group One win against older horses after performing to his trainer’s expectations in his first appearance of 2020 at Flemington. Alabama Express sprinted to a two-length victory in Saturday’s Donate to Salvation Army Disaster Appeal (1100m) against his own age,… Read More »
Champion trainer David Hayes has given two-year-old Personal a glowing endorsement after the filly finished strongly to win at Flemington in her second start. Personal, who finished second to the Snowden Racing-trained filly Fresh on debut at Geelong, was in behind runners at the 300m in Saturday’s Flemington Event Staff… Read More »
On a day when some horses have had to contend with foreign track conditions, Lashes has demonstrated her versatility in the wet at Rosehill. Saturday’s surface was rated a heavy 8 for the first time since August and while some runners struggled, Lashes lived up to her favouritism in the… Read More »
Trainer Rob Heathcote is rarely stuck for words but he was left bemused after Emerald Kingdom won the Canadian Club Plate (1000m) at Eagle Farm. Emerald Kingdom had won his previous start at Doomben after going into a meltdown in the pre-race parade ring. Heathcote was confident Emerald Kingdom would… Read More »
