Local trainers and the beaten brigade were all quick to congratulate Braidon Small on winning the Grand Annual Steeplechase at Warrnambool aboard Instigator. Small was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2023 and underwent surgery before facing radiation and chemotherapy, all in the hope of getting back to what he… Read More »
The Takeover Target Stakes at Gosford might just be among Joe Pride’s favourite events on the racing calendar given his record of success over more than two decades. While he didn’t claim it at his first attempt in 2004 with Red Oog, the race was an important stepping stone for… Read More »
Having ticked an important box by claiming a qualifying race for the Big Dance, emerging gelding Sarrismo is preparing for his next challenge – a test of his black-type credentials in the Listed The Coast at Gosford. Yet to miss a top three finish in nine starts, the gelding has… Read More »
After success on the opening two days of the Adelaide Carnival, Lloyd Kennewell hopes to parlay that into a ‘big one’ at Morphettville on Saturday. Vangogh Bankcheque won at the Australasian Oaks/Sangster Stakes meeting on April 25 while Straand Deal scored for Kennewell at the South Australian Derby meeting last Saturday. Being South Australian… Read More »
Dual Cups winner Half Yours will take the next step on his winter campaign when he heads to the Gold Coast. The Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup winner runs in the Group 2 A D Hollindale Stakes (1800m) on Saturday, his second outing since winning the Melbourne Cup last November. The Tony and Calvin… Read More »
Trainer John Leek has been competing at Warrnambool since the late 1980’s and says nothing can beat the ‘Bool. Leek took two jumpers to the famous three-day Carnival and after Fengarada won on the opening day, The Storyteller took out the feature hurdle, the Galleywood Hurdle (3200m) on Wednesday. Both were ridden by Luca Remondet who rode… Read More »
With the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale at the Gold Coast upcoming, the connections of Aviatress had been planning a dual Group 1 assault in Adelaide. But a hiccup on the eve of the mare’s first assignment in the Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville on April 25 put an end… Read More »
Tony & Maddysen Sears had to wait a couple more days but the win was worth it as their stable star Yellow Brick won The Archer at Rockhampton. Initially supposed to be run on Sunday, the $1 million slot race was postponed due to issues with sections of the home… Read More »
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 »
