The Bletchingly Stakes is an end-of-season race that connections of Vega Magic hope will be the beginning of a big preparation for the dual Group One-winning sprinter. Vega Magic is the early $2.15 favourite for a strong edition of the Group Three weight-for-age Bletchingly Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday at… Read More »
The stablehand at the centre of the “Aquanita eight” race day treatments case is expected to give evidence at the appeal of four trainers. Robert Smerdon, Stuart Webb, Tony Vasil and Queensland trainer Liam Birchley’s appeals will likely be heard by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal over two weeks… Read More »
New South Wales jockey Melinda Kinny has been banned for nine months after testing positive to a banned substance. The 33-year-old returned a positive urine sample at a meeting at Goulburn on Sunday, 27 May 2018. She was stood down from all riding and handling duties for a period of… Read More »
As he prepares runners for the final metropolitan meeting of the season, Gerald Ryan is also looking ahead to the biggest race of the Sydney spring. Ryan will have two runners in the $13 million Everest on October 13, Trapeze Artist and Menari. The Bert Vieira-owned Trapeze Artist, the winner… Read More »
One-time Blue Diamond Stakes favourite Kinky Boom is set to launch her Thousand Guineas campaign in a late-season midweek race at Sandown. Kinky Boom made an instant impression with a stylish win on debut at Caulfield in early February in the $250,000 Inglis Premier before finishing 11th in the Group… Read More »
Caulfield Cup winner Jameka has taken the next step in her preparation by competing in a jump-out but a decision on whether the star mare will return to racing is yet to be made. Jameka had a solo gallop between races at Sandown last Wednesday and stepped out in an… Read More »
Trainer Tony McEvoy is seriously considering targeting Magic Millions winner Sunlight at feature sprints against older horses in the early spring. Sunlight is on track to kick off her campaign in Saturday’s Listed Lightning Stakes (1050m) for two and three-year-olds at Morphettville where she is likely to clash with Nature… Read More »
Vega Magic will put his credentials on the line for a start in The Everest when he makes his return at Caulfield. The gelding is one of 13 entries in Saturday’s Group Three Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) with nominations extended until Tuesday. Of the 13, Darren Weir has five nominations including… Read More »
Connections of Chautauqua have not given up hope on the Champion sprinter after he failed to leave the gates once again in a trial at Rosehill this morning. Chautauqua failed to leave the gates on four occasions earlier in the year before successfully completing one jump-out at Flemington on July… Read More »
Champion Winx has shown all the right signs she is on target for another spring campaign in a soft barrier trial at Rosehill. While most eyes were on the great mare on Monday, those looking for Chautauqua were disappointed with the world’s former best sprinter again refusing to jump with… Read More »
Senior part-owner Rupert Legh has not given up hope Chautauqua can run in the world’s richest turf race, The Everest. But Chautauqua has a few obstacles to clear after he again failed to jump in a Rosehill barrier trial under Tommy Berry on Monday. Racing NSW chief steward Mark Van… Read More »
Premier trainer Darren Weir is expected to have at least four runners in Melbourne’s final stakes race of the season, the Group Three Bletchingly Stakes, while connections of Nature Strip have options in two states. Nature Strip could head to Adelaide for Saturday’s Listed Lightning Stakes (1050m) but Weir said… Read More »
A fresh and well Redzel is only a couple of weeks away from a barrier trial as trainers Peter and Paul Snowden plan a familiar path to The Everest with the star sprinter. Redzel won the inaugural Everest at Randwick last October and again has this year’s $13 million sprint… Read More »
Brave Song has made a winning return at Flemington but trainer Peter Snowden is adamant the gelding is even better than he has shown in the late-season race for three-year-olds. The stakes-placed Brave Song was resuming from a spell and having his first start in Melbourne in Saturday’s TAB/ATA Trainers’… Read More »
A last-minute decision to enter Fit For Purpose has given trainer Liam Birchley back-to-back wins in the Listed Tattersall’s Mile (1600m) at Doomben. Former Victorian jockey Dale Smith got a boost to his new career in Queensland when Fit For Purpose ($12) finished along the rails to win the last… Read More »
Tactical Advantage has repaid his new owners with an immediate dividend and given Brenton Avdulla a fitting send-off overseas as Sydney’s premier jockey. Having his first start for Newcastle trainer Kris Lees and syndicator Australian Bloodstock, Tactical Advantage dominated the finish of Saturday’s July Sprint (1100m) at Randwick. Sent out… Read More »
Apprentice Corey Bayliss has been suspended for six weeks after he admitted he failed to give short-priced favourite Tumbler every chance to win the Open Handicap at Doomben. Tumbler ($2) ran second to Amanaat on Saturday after being held up for a run in the straight of the 1200m race…. Read More »
Visao has earned a shot at the Victoria Derby with a dominant display in a two-year-old race at Flemington. The colt’s win in Saturday’s Byerley Handicap (1800m) gained the Ciaron Maher-trained galloper a ballot exemption in the Group One Victoria Derby at Flemington in November. After an earlier win with… Read More »
Chris Waller has achieved almost everything there is in Sydney racing but training a winner for another Group One trainer is something new. New Zealand Hall Of Fame trainer Graeme Rogerson, who was domiciled in Sydney for 20 years before moving back home, sent Our Malambo to Waller hoping for… Read More »
Godolphin colt Plague Stone has lived up to his early promise with a winning return at Randwick. Plague Stone’s best performance before Saturday has been his second to subsequent Blue Diamond Stakes winner Written By in the Group Three Prelude in February. Sent out the $2.10 favourite in the Rosebud… Read More »
