In a year in which he has ticked off the Epsom Derby with Masar, UK-based trainer Charlie Appleby is striving to claim a Melbourne Cup for Godolphin. Appleby arrived in Melbourne on Friday morning to watch Jungle Cat and Folkswood run in feature races at Caulfield on Saturday. The two… Read More »
Champion sprinter Chautauqua’s racing career looks to be back on track as the grey jumped with the rest of the field in a jump-out at Flemington this morning. We can watch this over and over. Chautauqua has completed a successful jumpout. Show some love for the big grey! ⚡ pic.twitter.com/lOOMSCCFK7… Read More »
Two horses from the stable of suspended trainer Ben Smith have returned prohibited levels of cobalt from raceday swabs. Iron Duke and Elaborate tested above the allowable threshold after their wins at Newcastle on August 25 and Wyong on August 26 respectively. A preliminary analysis of the swabs sparked a… Read More »
Quality mare Global Glamour returns to a happy hunting ground for her seasonal debut at Caulfield. The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained five-year-old is unbeaten in her two Caulfield starts and has not raced there since the Group Two Tristarc Stakes (1400m) in the first start of her spring campaign… Read More »
Despite recent criticism from several industry participants, Racing Victoria insists racing in the state is in good shape. RV has released figures for the 2017-18 season that show its KPIs were strong in many areas. Wagering turnover grew to $6.42 billion, an increase of 2.7 per cent despite a decline… Read More »
Carzoff is the latest confirmed high-profile withdrawal from the Group One Metropolitan. The Newcastle Gold Cup winner was removed from nominations for the Group One staying test on Thursday. Trainer Chris Waller told Racing NSW stewards Carzoff would be spelled instead of contesting the Metropolitan for which he was second… Read More »
Last year’s Everest runner-up Vega Magic has continued to tune up for his second shot at the world’s richest race on turf with a pleasing jumpout at Albury. Co-trainer David Hayes wanted to take Vega Magic from his Lindsay Park Euroa base in country Victoria across the border to the… Read More »
Rising Red missed the 2017 spring carnival because of injury but his connections are hoping the New Zealand Derby runner-up can be a contender in feature staying races this time year. The Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained gelding clashes with a host of other stayers trying to secure a prized… Read More »
Premier Victorian trainer Darren Weir has been fined $5000 over the incorrect identification of seven horses which contested jump-outs at Ballarat. Racing Victoria stewards on Wednesday charged Weir under an Australian racing rule dealing with any person who makes a false or misleading statement or declaration in respect of any… Read More »
Brave Smash is unlikely to race again in Sydney before the $13 million The Everest with connections now favouring a lead-up run in Melbourne. The Darren Weir-trained sprinter was expected to make the road trip from his Victorian base to contest the Premiere Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday week,… Read More »
Mick Price is expecting a rise in distance to benefit two of his Caulfield Cup hopefuls when they clash in an important lead up race at Caulfield. The Naturalism Stakes on Saturday provides the winner with a ballot exemption into next month’s Caulfield Cup, drawing together drawn a field of… Read More »
A capacity field of 15 plus four emergencies has been declared for the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes which will have an international presence with last-start Dubai Group One winner Jungle Cat to make his first Australian appearance. The Charlie Appleby-trained, Godolphin-owned, Jungle Cat is topweight with 58kg and has barrier… Read More »
A reprieve from Racing Victoria will see cult horse Chautauqua go around at Flemington on Friday. The Hawkes Racing-trained sprinter will figure in jump-out at Flemington on Friday, one of two consecutive trials he needs to pass before he is cleared for a racetrack return. A ban was placed on… Read More »
Graff is TAB’s $3.50 favourite to win the Golden Rose after this morning’s barrier draw. “It’s Kris Lees and Graff against the Waller army and the favourite has drawn well while it looks a bit tricky for the best backed runner, The Autumn Sun, from out wide,” TAB’s Gerard Middleton… Read More »
Progressive imported stayer Avilius will not run in the Metropolitan Handicap at Randwick with Godolphin to instead aim him at the Melbourne Cup via the Bart Cummings. Avilius, who has won all three of his Australian starts including Saturday’s Group Three Kingston Town Stakes (2000m), was the 2.80 favourite for… Read More »
Three recent winners in the northern hemisphere have been given weight penalties for the Melbourne Cup 2018. The Aidan O’Brien-trained Kew Gardens has been penalised 1kg for his win in the Group One English St Leger at Doncaster over the weekend, taking the northern-hemisphere three-year-old to 54kg and also top… Read More »
A barnstorming finish by stablemate Santa Ana Lane denied Mr Sneaky a Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes victory a year ago but the sprinter is ready for another crack at the Group One handicap. The Anthony Freedman-trained gelding will run in Saturday’s Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield at the… Read More »
Trainer Brad Widdup has put Sandbar’s last-start fifth behind him and expects the colt be at his best in the $1 million Golden Rose. Sandbar won the Listed Rosebud on August 11 but performed below expectations four weeks later in the Run To The Rose won by Lean Mean Machine… Read More »
An impressive barrier trial at Cranbourne has Viddora on track for the Group One Moir Stakes. Viddora was beaten in a photo finish by She Will Reign in last year’s Moir Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley and trainer Lloyd Kennewell has targeted the weight-for-age sprint on Friday week as her… Read More »
Everest contender In Her Time has been cleared to race but her stablemate El Dorado Dreaming is still sidelined pending analysis of a sample taken from the filly. The two horses were among six tested last Tuesday when Racing NSW stewards inspected Ben Smith’s Newcastle stable after being notified of… Read More »
