There were again anxious moments, but Austin Galati got redemption for his recent ‘hiccup’ with Smooth Chino at Flemington on Saturday. The Western Australian rider guided the classy sprinter to a thrilling win over Mazu in the $300,000 Group 2 McEwen Stakes (1200m). The nose margin was only slightly smaller than at his… Read More »
Warhorse Lindermann has joined an elite group of thoroughbreds to have won the Craven Plate three times, the gelding dictating from the front to score his tenth career-win, and take his prizemoney to more than $6 million. Only Gloaming (1919, 2022, 2024), Phar Lap (1929-31) and Chatham (1932-34) have achieved the… Read More »
A maiden after six starts, Central Europe broke through in the most emphatic manner indicating his first race win most certainly won’t be his last. With trainer Chris Waller at Flemington for the Cox Plate, Hall of Famer Darren Beadman represented the stable and spoke in glowing terms about Central Europe…. Read More »
Revolina didn’t have the most auspicious start in life, but the fighting qualities she showed at birth are holding her in good stead on the racetrack. Trained by Richard and Will Freedman, the three-year-old took her record to two wins from as many starts with a sustained display of speed in Saturday’s… Read More »
The Magic Millions Classic at the Gold Coast is the likely target for the Chris Waller -trained Exo Velocity after she posted an impressive debut win in the Kirkham Plate at Randwick. Coming off just one barrier trial, the Zoustar filly showed she had the courage to match her class, squeezing… Read More »
Champion trainer Chris Waller has learned to keep his nerves in check on the eve of a big race. With two runners in the Cox Plate (2040m at Flemington on Saturday – Aeliana and Birdman – Waller said he isn’t too bad these days. “I’m not too bad, but I’ve… Read More »
Trainer Grahame Begg concedes it is a bold experiment jumping from a maiden Ballarat win to a Stakes race at Flemington on Cox Plate Day. But that is the opinion the trainer has of Aroused who runs in the Listed Crockett Stakes (1200m) on Saturday. A daughter of Snitzel, Aroused… Read More »
Gai Waterhouse says she has space on the mantlepiece for a Cox Plate trophy that would be a nice addition to the ones she has for the Melbourne Cup, the Caulfield Cup and Golden Slipper. Waterhouse and Adrian Bott team with Sir Delius in their bid for a first Cox… Read More »
A seven-day back up into the Craven Plate hasn’t been a long-range plan for Vivy Air, but connections have reason to believe it could be a fruitful one. The mare has only raced on a short turnaround once before when runner-up in last year’s Big Dance (1600m) before turning up… Read More »
A horse that jockey Ash Morgan knows well, and another he’s been keeping a close eye on from afar will spearhead his chances of feature race success at Randwick. Morgan has a Group 1 win in the bag courtesy of Private Harry in the 2025 Galaxy (1100m), and will chase… Read More »
It took only one year into his training career in his own right for Dom Sutton to notch his first win at the highest level when Feroce scored in the Group 1 Australian Guineas in March 2025. Although the Tesio Stakes at Group 2 level at Flemington on Saturday is a… Read More »
Warwick Farm trainer Greg Hickman has been matter of fact in his preparation of Future History with one race in mind. The Melbourne Cup (3200m) is forefront of Hickman’s thoughts as he prepares the imported galloper for a second attempt at Australia’s biggest race. In the care of Ciaron Maher… Read More »
Promising three-year-old Why So Hard faces a distance challenge in the Callander-Presnell, and while Michael Hawkes is quietly confident his charge can handle it, he’s surprised to see him open favourite. The three-year-old resumed with an encouraging third to Satono Glow in the Roman Consul Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on… Read More »
The focus might be on his four Cox Plate runners at Flemington, but champion trainer Ciaron Maher will be keeping a close watch on Sydney where his team is headlined by emerging three-year-old Scarole in the Spring Champion Stakes. The stable has been in superb recent form with five black-type… Read More »
History will be made in the Cox Plate which this year is run at Flemington. The 106th running of the Moonee Valley Racing Club’s showpiece is away from its traditional home of The Valley as the track undergoes a well-publicised reconstruction. The 2040m weight-for-age championship on Saturday has brought together… Read More »
Arabian Rose has already been a fairytale buy for young Queensland trainer, James Healy, but that will go to a new level if she can win the $2 million The Invitation at Randwick. The Sunshine Coast-based Healy purchased Arabian Rose as a tried horse for just $7000 through Inglis’ digital… Read More »
In what could be an ominous warning for Australian trainers, the international contingent looks exceptionally strong after the running of the Geelong Cup. While Ciaron Maher is the trainer of Wednesday’s Group 3 winner Point Of Law, the stayer was prepared for the Geelong Cup (2400m) from quarantine at Werribee after… Read More »
Jason Collett already has a Spring Champion Stakes trophy courtesy of Montefilia, and he’s optimistic Wonka can deliver him another, provided the colt gets an economical run. All of the nine contenders in Saturday’s renewal of the Group 1 will be stretching to 2000 metres for the first time, and… Read More »
Jockey Blake Shinn does not boast a win in the Victoria Derby but believes Murshidi has the credentials to win the Classic at Flemington. The Ciaron Maher-trained Murshidi is on a path towards the Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington on Saturday week following his victory in the Listed Geelong Classic… Read More »
Trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young are content to takes on the ‘boys’ with Joely in a Stakes race at Flemington in their bid to win the VRC Oaks. Joely is one of two fillies who will contest the Group 2 Drummond Golf Vase (2040m) on Saturday, the filly’s last… Read More »
