Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Michelle Payne has been fined $1000 for a social media post directed at racehorse owner Brae Sokolski. Payne reacted to the decision on Tuesday to replace jockey Linda Meech with Mark Zahra aboard Victoria Derby contender Thought Of That by posting a tweet Racing Victoria stewards said… Read More »
Defending titleholder Best Of Days will carry the No.1 saddlecloth in the Group One Cantala Stakes at Flemington which has attracted a capacity field of 16 plus four emergencies. The James Cummings-trained Best Of Days, who has not won since last year’s Cantala, has 57kg and has drawn barrier 14… Read More »
Star New Zealand mare Melody Belle has drawn a wide barrier in a capacity field for the Group One Empire Rose Stakes at Flemington. A nine-time Group One winner in New Zealand including three this spring, the Jamie Richards-trained Melody Belle has drawn barrier 13 in the field of 16… Read More »
A bumper ten race card has been assembled for Bendigo this Wednesday for Bendigo Cup Day, with the 2400m feature being a last ditch effort for some to get into the Melbourne Cup. The weather is fine, the track is good (4) and the rail is in the true position… Read More »
Punters have swarmed to Arcadia Queen to win the Golden Eagle with the mare backed from $4.20 to $2.80 after drawing barrier five of 17 in the inaugural running of the $7.5 million race at Rosehill. The mare has displaced former favourite, Doncaster Mile winner Brutal, who will start from… Read More »
Followin this morning’s announcement of the final field and barrier draw for Saturday’s Victoria Derby at Flemington, Shadow Hero has drifted as favourite at TAB from $3 to $3.30. The Mark Newnham-trained gelding was victorious two starts back in the Gloaming Stakes at Rosehill on September 28 before winning the… Read More »
As Michael Walker eagerly awaits a second chance at the Melbourne Cup on Prince Of Arran, he will first take care of business on Derby day at Flemington. While Walker does not have a ride in Saturday’s Victoria Derby, he is booked on runners from Chris Waller in the three… Read More »
Doncaster Mile winner Brutal has been displaced as favourite for the inaugural $7.5 million Golden Eagle at Rosehill after drawing the outside barrier in the field of 17. Arcadia Queen, who will start from barrier five, remains at $4.20, replacing Brutal at the top of the market with the latter… Read More »
One-time VRC Oaks favourite Celestial Falls will miss the race but her trainer Mark Newnham still has the chance for Classic glory in Melbourne. Shadow Hero assumed favouritism for Saturday’s Victoria Derby with his Group One victory in the Spring Champion Stakes in which he beat Castelvecchio. The Spring Champion… Read More »
Donald may not be on the radar for those searching for potential Classic winners, but the track in north-central Victoria is one Ciaron Maher recommends. Maher, who trains in partnership with David Eustace, points to VRC Oaks winner Set Square racing at Donald early in her career while Victoria Derby… Read More »
Hawkes Racing is leaving nothing to chance as they chase an important Group One victory with lightly raced colt Exceedance. The three-year-old is set to run in Saturday’s Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington. Since being elevated to Group One status in 2006, the Coolmore Stud Stakes has been won… Read More »
History awaits star Australian jockey Damian Lane when he returns to riding on Melbourne Cup day after a suspension. With wins in the Golden Slipper, Caulfield Cup and Saturday’s Cox Plate already in his keeping during 2019, Lane can create history at Flemington on November 5 when he rides Japanese… Read More »
After digging deeper into Sunlight’s performance in The Everest, co-trainer Tony McEvoy is happy to bite the bullet for a shot at the Golden Eagle. Sunlight finished 10th behind Yes Yes Yes in The Everest on October 19, leaving the trainer puzzled and searching for answers. “When we dissected the… Read More »
One time Melbourne Cup favourite Avilius has been ruled out of the race with Godolphin opting to spell the horse following his run in the Cox Plate. Avilius who headed the early markets for the 2019 Melbourne Cup after his successful Autumn campaign will not line-up in this years Melbourne… Read More »
After his third in the Caulfield Cup on his Australian debut, Mirage Dancer is on target for his bid for Melbourne Cup glory. Now trained at Cranbourne by Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young, the former Sir Michael Stoute-trained horse finished 1-1/4 lengths from Japanese horse Mer De Glace in the… Read More »
A stunning year for Damian Lane has continued with the Australian jockey adding his first Cox Plate on star Japanese mare Lys Gracieux. Having already won the Golden Slipper on Australian filly Kiamichi in March and last week’s Caulfield Cup on Japanese horse Mer De Glace, Lane added the next… Read More »
Brenton Avdulla has literally had to scrape paint to win the inaugural $1 million Bondi Stakes at Randwick aboard Kubrick. The Chris Waller-trained colt started the $3.70 equal favourite in the 1600m-race on Saturday after being brought back from Melbourne following a disappointing effort in the Caulfield Guineas. Avdulla had… Read More »
All options remain on the table for up-and-coming stayer Master Of Wine after he produced a dazzling turn of foot to win the City Tattersalls Club Cup at Randwick. His victory came nine years after the Hawkes team last claimed the race with Maluckyday, who went on to win the… Read More »
Irish horse Hunting Horn has firmed for the Melbourne Cup after winning the Moonee Valley Gold Cup in his first spring carnival appearance in Victoria. From the stable of champion Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien and ridden by Ryan Moore, Hunting Horn was well supported to start $4.20 in Saturday’s Group… Read More »
Lys Gracieux has brought her best form from Japan to claim the $5 million Cox Plate, Australia’s weight-for-age championship. A week after Mer De Glace won the Caulfield Cup for Japan, Lys Gracieux has given her rivals a start and a beating at The Valley. She came with a surging… Read More »
